Karaoke Night
by SimmyChicken
Summary: Jack finally comes to North's Karaoke Night, a feat the Guardians host once a month, something Jack's avoided for five. To his surprise, he actually enjoys it and decides to participate in the Winter Concert with his friends. But Pitch has something else in mind for him. Will Jack still be able to go to the Winter Concert? Warning: RAPE Pitch/Jack(VERY one sided) Tooth/Jack
1. Karaoke Night

Hey everybody! I know, all of my previous readers must be pissed at me for not finishing my other story. But the thing is, my computer was stolen, and by the time I got a new one for Christmas, I had lost my inspiration. :( But then I saw Rise of the Guardians and then BAM! I had new story all nice and worked out! And ta-da! My mind produced this! I am very awesome, I know. But I've been watching too much Glee and then my mind said, "Let them sing!" ._.

Please don't hate me.

I own nothing.

* * *

Jack Frost peeked through Jamie's window. The young boy seemed to be asleep, but Jack knew better. As soon as September was over, Jack would make each day in Jamie's town a snow day, and visit him every night to take him on epic sled rides.

He cautiously knocked at his window with his staff. Jamie immediately bolted up and turned his head to the window. His face split into a toothy grin that looked a lot better now that the front tooth that had been knocked out their first time together had grown back. "Jack!"

He grinned back. "Hey, there, kid! Ready for tonight?" he asked as the boy hurried over to open the window.

Jamie's face fell. "I'm sorry, but I can't tonight, Jack."

Jack frowned. "Why not?"

"Well, I have to get up REALLY early in the morning because my mom and Sophie and I are going to California for a few days."

"Really? Wow, Jamie that's great!" Jack exclaimed, sitting down on the windowsill, trying to ignore the feelings of disappointment. "Where to? I might be able to visit you there."

Jamie shook his head. "I thought about that, and asked my mom if snowed in San Francisco and she said it _never _snows there. Like, _ever._ I'm sorry, Jack," he said miserably.

He waved it off carelessly. "Don't worry about it. I'll be fine. Hey, just remember to have fun in California. Remember to watch out for the Monterey monster," he teased, poking him in the belly with his staff.

The little boy's eyes widened. "There's a monster in the bay of Monterey?" he gasped.

"Actually, I think she prefers to be called a plesiosaurus or something weird like that. And her name is Kelpie," he corrected. "And I don't think she'll appreciate you not knowing what she is when you know about her sister, Nessie," he added. Jack decided to leave out the part where she would sometimes stalk non-believers out into the ocean where she would sink their boat or knock the sailors into the water and proceed to eat them.

"Wait, her sister's the Loch Ness monster?" he asked, his eyes widening.

"Yep. And she hates it when little boys who don't know her name go into her bay," he teased. He leaned down to him and whispered in his ear, "I even heard that she has a taste for them, too. Especially when they haven't gotten enough sleep." He leaned back and smiled as Jamie scurried back into his bed and pulled the covers tightly over his head.

He laughed. "Good night, Jamie." He grabbed his staff and swung himself out of his room and on to the freshly fallen snow gently on the balls of his feet.

"Well now, what to do, what to do," he mused as he swung his staff over his shoulder and began to walk down the street. Just then, he felt something tug at his pants' leg. Surprised, he looked down.

Sandy looked back up at him with his golden eyes, and waved cheerfully. Jack laughed. "Hey, there, Sandy," he chuckled. "Didn't see you there."

The sandman flashed a golden North above his head. "North wants to see me? Why?" A picture of a microphone appeared above his head. Jack groaned. "He wants me for karaoke night? _Again?_" The little man nodded.

On the first Friday of every month, North would host a Karaoke Night at the North Pole for his Guardian friends. So far, Jack had been able to worm his way out of five.

"Well, tell him I'm not coming," he told Sandy. "In fact, tell him I'm not coming _ever. _When is he going to realize that?" Jack exclaimed, kicking at the snow.

His friend shrugged, then flashed a question mark above his head, clearly directed at Jack. "Because I don't want to stand up on a stage and make a complete idiot of myself in front of everybody by showing them I can't sing," he explained. "It would just give Bunny another thing to laugh at me about," he grumbled, sitting on a mailbox.

Sandy showed a picture of two yetis and a bag in between them, and shrugged. "No, I don't want that again," Jack agreed, hopping down. He sighed, then looked at him. "Fine, I'll go." Sandy clapped his hands in delight, and shot off into the sky, a trail of gold dust falling after him.

Jack sighed, then flew up into the air with him. "Hey, so how long is this thing?" he asked when he caught up to the sandman.

Sandy shrugged, then flashed up a clock that kept on running. Jack groaned. "Wait, so I'm supposed to be at this thing for _days?_" he demanded as they dove into the fog.

He shook his head, then showed an alarm clock that was began at nine o'clock P.M. and rang its alarm at twelve o'clock A.M. "Ah, 3 hours," he corrected himself. "But still, that's a long time. I mean, don't you have dreams to give and Tooth has teeth to take and stuff?" he asked as they passed over the Atlantic Ocean.

Sandy pursed his lips, then showed a picture of him playing something on a table(cards?)while strands of gold dust sprinkled themselves over children in beds, then with Tooth's little fairies flying around them. Jack sighed. "I guess you're right."

They flew on a bit more, then Jack asked curiously, "Is it fun?"

Sandy looked at him in surprise, then a rather sheepish smile crept on to his face, and his face became dreamy. An image of what looked like Toothiana appeared over his head.

"Wait, what does Tooth have to do with this?" he demanded, his voice coming out a lot harsher than he had expected.

He looked up at Jack in surprise. Suddenly, his face brightened started clapping his hands. Confused, he looked up, then saw North's Toy Palace rise up out of the snowy mist, like he had seen European castles do in scary movies that he had sneaked into a theater to watch. Except, of course, this place gave out the presence of cheerfulness and wonder instead of fear.

_Fear. _The dark word caressed him in the same manner that Pitch had used. Jack shivered, and his friend looked up at him with a questioning look in his eyes. "It's nothing," he assured him, though he wasn't so sure about it himself.

They flew past the patrolling yeti, and after a couple stern words with Phil about writing his name in Jamie's journal again, they reached the part of the hideout that Jack had carefully avoided on his visits to see North when they were planning how Jack's snow days and North's Christmas, which was coming in over two months, would coincide: the auditorium. On his first visit to the North Pole since they had defeated Pitch, the jolly man would try to get him into the room to do little songs for him or to get him upstage. Since then, he had avoided the spot.

Until now.

He felt jitters in his stomach as the wind settled him down on the cool marble floor. It had rows of seats, set up as if they were at a concert. Hundreds of yetis already filled over half of them, looking eager for the show to start.

"Hey, Sandy," he began, as a thought occurred to him, "since you can't talk, what do you do?" he asked, leaned against his staff.

The sandman conjured up a sand piano and pretended to play it before it melted away into the ground. "Ah, piano. You know, I actually can play the piano," he added. Sandy looked at him in disbelief and shook his head. "No lie!" he exclaimed.

"Ah! Jack! Sandy! There you are, my friends!" North appeared out of nowhere and scooped up the two in a rib-crushing hug. "I was glad you came, Jack! I thought I would have to send yetis out for you like first time, eh?" He laughed as he set them down.

"Jack, you made it!" Tooth flittered in front of him, her violet eyes wide open with excitement.

"Hey, Tooth," he grinned. He opened his arms out. "Don't I get a hug?"

She laughed and flew into his open arms and wrapped her own around him tightly. Suddenly, she frowned, and hovered a bit out of his arms, though they were still wrapped around each other. "Have you been eating? You're so skinny." She flew around him a couple times, taking in his thin frame.

"Uh, Tooth? I'm a spirit. I don't eat," he reminded her, swinging his staff on to his shoulder, trying to ignore the butterflies in his stomach that fluttered every time her small hands came in contact with his skin.

"You _can, _you just choose not to," she corrected him, but then she smiled and threw her arms around his neck. He gently hugged her from around the waist. "But I'm glad you came," she whispered.

"Yeah, we thought we have to send her to go and drag you out here," Bunny's Australian accent rang through the room as he hopped towards the four. "Probably would have taken shorter to get you here if ya know what I mean." He winked mischievously at him.

"Ah, Bunny," Jack greeted, a smirk on his face as he and Tooth parted from their embrace. "There you are. I thought you would be cuddled up with that new rabbit, what's her name? Cassie? Carla?"

"Cassandra," he snarled. "And we've been going steady for three months, now."

"Wow, practically married. And you actually remembered her name this time," he congratulated. "Then again, I think's kind of hard to, seeing as she has it tattooed on her—"

"Why don't we get started with show?" North interrupted hastily, clapping his hands together. "Tooth! You're up!"

"What?" she squeaked.

"What is wrong?" he asked.

"Do I have to go?" she whined uncharacteristically. Jack raised an eyebrow, confused by this sudden change of behavior.

"But Tooth, you love going first," Bunnymund interjected, a puzzled look on his furry face. Sandy nodded his head in agreement.

"I know, but I think I might have a-um, uh, a sore throat!" she proceeded to make a cough that sounded weak even to Jack.

"Wait, is it because Jack's here?" Bunnymund demanded. "I promise, I will chop off his lily-livers if he dares say a word against ya singing. No offense, mate," he added to Jack.

He shrugged against his staff. "None taken."

"Ah, I see what troubles you. Jack will appreciate your music as we all do," he said soothingly, shooting a glance at Jack. "Won't you, Jack?"

He looked at Tooth, his frosty-blue eyes meeting her limpid violet ones. He tried to hide the warm, tingling feeling in him when their eyes met. "I promise," he said softly, "I won't laugh."

"See?" North exclaimed. "There is nothing to be afraid of! Now, go up there and make good music!" With a hearty shove, he pushed Tooth all the way on to stage. She stumbled on to the platform with a squeak. "Sandy! Piano!" he roared. The little man immediately flew over to the glossy black piano in front of the stage and bounced in the seat eagerly. "Dim the lights!" he called as he, Bunny, and Jack took their seats in the front row.

Jack, being the rebel that he was, turned his chair backwards and sat in it.

"North, please!" Tooth begged as the room became dark except for the single beam shining on her. Jack almost wanted to shake North and show him that she clearly didn't want to sing.

"Sandy! Cue music!" he roared. "And you'll be fine, Tooth!"

She groaned, but stepped up to the microphone. Sandy cracked his fingers, then laid his hands on the piano keys, and began to play. Jack could faintly hear a band playing. Tooth took a deep breath, her fists clenched at her sides, then began to sing:

_"Heaven bend to take my hand _

_And lead me through the fire.  
Be the long-awaited answer _

_To a long and painful fight.  
Truth be told I tried my best  
But somewhere along the way, _

_I got caught up in all there was to offer.  
But the cost was so much more than I could bear…."_

Jack stared up at the fairy, whose face had become relaxed. It was almost hard to believe that the beautiful sound that he could hear was her. "She was afraid of me laughing at this?" he hissed to Bunny, his face one of wonder and amazement.

"I know right, mate?" he whispered back.

_"Though I've tried,  
I've fallen!  
I have sunk so low.  
I messed up,  
Better I should know.  
So don't come 'round here and  
Tell me I told you so…."_

She paused for a couple seconds before continuing,

_"We all begin with good intent_  
_When love was raw and young._  
_We believe that we can change ourselves,_  
_The past can be undone._  
_But we carry on our back the burdens_

_Time always reveals.  
In the lonely light of morning,  
In the wound that would not heal!  
It's the bitter taste of losing everything  
I've held so dear….."_

_"I've tried,  
I've fallen!  
I have sunk so low.  
I messed up,  
Better I should know.  
So don't come 'round here and  
Tell me I told you so…."_

Jack felt himself rest his chin on the back of the chair, and continued to watch her, unable to take his eyes off of her. She let the music play on for a while, humming to the song, then went on,

_"Heaven bend to take my hand.  
I've nowhere left to turn.  
I'm lost to those I thought were friends,  
To everyone I know.  
Oh, they turn their heads, embarrassed,  
Pretend that they don't see  
That it's one miss step, one slip, before you know it._

_And there doesn't seem a way to be redeemed…."_

Bunny turned his head from the singing fairy, about to make a snide comment to Jack, when he froze when he saw his face. His eyes were wide and full of wonder and amazement as he stared up at Tooth, a little dreamy look on his face, eyes that never wanting to part from her face. It reminded him of the little baby doll that North loved to shove in people's face, except put on a teenage boy. He suddenly realized why, then snickered, and elbowed North lightly. The big man turned to look down at the rabbit. He pointed at Jack, who was still star struck as she continued to sing on. North looked confused for a second, then chuckled softly. "I think, when Tooth reveals her feelings to Jack, she will not be disappointed," he murmured to Bunny as she finished the song.

_"I've messed up  
Better I should know  
Don't come 'round here and  
Tell me I told you so…."_

Sandy ended the song with a flourish on the piano, and the two of them bowed as the yetis and elves began to clap and cheer. "Thank you, thank you," said a flustered Tooth, before flying over to the other Guardians. "Well, how did I do?" she asked breathlessly, smoothing back the feathers on top of her head.

"Great, as always," North complimented warmly.

"Bloody terrific," Bunny agreed. "Jack, what did you think, mate?"

It took a second for the words to get through to him. He blinked, then sat up straight, running his fingers through his hair as he searched desperately for words. "You, uh, sing, um, really well," he said finally, laying his staff on his lap.

"Really well?" Bunny snorted. "You staring at her as if she was the—" Ice frost shut his lips together. The rabbit's eyes widened in alarm as he realized what Jack had done, and he clawed frantically at the ice.

Jack smirked as he laid his staff back on his lap, then turned back to the tooth fairy. "But you do sing really well," he said softly. She blushed, her cheeks tinged with pink, though her eyes shone with gratitude.

Sandy gave the thumbs up. "Okay, Sandy is ready to do new song. Jack—" North pointed a big finger at the ice spirit—"it is your turn."

"What?" he exclaimed. "Uh, no, sorry big guy. I don't sing."

"Of course you do! You are Guardian!"

"Yeah, but singing up on stage in front of a bunch of yeti and elves wasn't in the résumé!" he cried, exasperated.

"Come on, Jack, I'm sure you'll do great," Tooth said warmly, resting her hand on his shoulder.

"Yeah, as well as a jackrabbit in Kentucky," Bunny snorted.

"Jack, in order to really be part of Karaoke Night, and therefore a Guardian, you must sing," he told him. He rolled his eyes. "Perhaps this will change your mind?" North said slyly as he pulled out something from behind his back.

His blue eyes widened as he took in the sight, and swallowed hard. "Is-Is-Is that a—" he stammered.

"A vintage 1965 Fender Duo-Sonic electric guitar? Why yes, it is."

"How did you know?" Jack asked, his eyes fixed on the guitar with rockin' flames on it.

"The one time you tried to stay good all year was the first time you ever sent in a Christmas wish-list. And this was on it." He waved it teasingly in front of him. "I assume you know how to play it?" North asked.

"Of course, why else would I ask for it?" He hopped to his feet and tentatively touched it. "Wow….." he whispered.

"You may have it, Jack," he said, as he handed it to him. His face lit up as he reached to grab it. "But _only _if you sing," he said, snatching it out his hand.

He nodded eagerly, his hands still reaching for the guitar. "Okay, then. Here you go." He gave him the instrument, and he eagerly slid the strap over his head. "Wow." He marveled at the glossy guitar that laid in his hands. Jack cautiously strung a few strings, checking the tune.

When everything seemed to be in order, he sighed and looked up at North. "Do I really have to sing?

"Look, we all had to get up there and sing, mate," Bunny put in, having finally gotten the frost off of his lips. "And _you _are no exception."

He sighed, then decided to get it over with. He flew over to the top of the stage. "You know what song?" he asked Sandy, who was playing with the keys. The little man sat up straight and nodded, his bright face suddenly eager.

Jack glanced back at the other Guardians, who were sitting in their chairs, looking expectantly at him. "You guys have been waiting for a long time for this, haven't you?" he realized.

"Only for about five months," Bunny called out, laughing. He could almost feel the rabbit's desire for him to mess up.

He sighed, then pulled up a stool and gently laid his staff at his feet and leaned into the microphone. He tapped it a few times with his index finger before speaking into it. "Uh, hi, everybody? Um, I'm here, uh, to play a song for you guys. This goes out to my fellow Guardians, Tooth, North, Bunny, and Sandy. So, enjoy." He leaned back and started strumming the first few notes.

He played the few guitar for a while before the band joined in. Apparently, Bunny could find no fault with his playing, because all he did was scowl at him.

Jack looked at Tooth; she nodded at him, her face full of encouragement. He took a deep breath, then began:

_"Here I am. This is me.  
There's nowhere else on Earth I'd rather be.  
Here I am. It's just me and you.  
And tonight we make our dreams come true."_

Bunny rolled his eyes as Jack winked at Tooth, who blushed a deep red. This seemed to spur him on, as he started to playing a bit louder.

_"It's a new world! It's a new start!  
It's alive with the beating of young hearts!  
It's a new day! It's a new plan!  
I've been waiting for you…"_

He smiled to himself.

_"Here I am." _

Jack paused, though his fingers continued to play for a while before jumping back in.

_"Here we are. We've just begun.  
And after all this time our time has come.  
Yeah, here we are. Still goin' strong!  
Right here in the place where we belong!"_

"See? The boy _can _sing!" North exclaimed, clapping Bunny on the shoulder. The Easter Bunny rolled his eyes.

_"It's a new world! It's a new start!  
It's alive with the beating of young hearts!  
It's a new day! It's a new plan!  
I've been waiting for you…"_

Jack gazed around the room. "Here I am," he said softly. He stared down his guitar, conscious of everybody watching him.

"_Yeah, here I am._"

He could practically feel Bunny's eyes boring into him, just waiting for him to mess up on the super long stretch of just guitar playing.

"_Here I am._"

Jack became nervous. What if he did mess up? What would everybody think? What would _Tooth_ think?

"_Here I am._"

A sudden anger filled him. They wanted a show? He'll give them a show.

Jack jumped down from his seat, and started play the guitar solo, his grin even wider before. He flew down off of the stage, playing the guitar with a sudden burst of passion, laughing and doing a little dance with his feet. He slid down to the end of the row where Tooth was sitting.

"_I've been waiting for you._"

She blushed as he stopped in front of her, smiling as he softly sang the next verse to her.

"_Here I am. This is me._

_There's nowhere else on Earth I'd rather be_."

He strummed his guitar a few more times before continuing.

"_Here we are._"

Jack grabbed Tooth's hand and pulled her to her feet, and cupped her chin in one hand and tilted her head up so that they were eye-to-eye, still managing to strum his guitar with his remaining hand. Singing softly, trying to ignore all the stares on him and Tooth, he continued,

_"It's just me and you._

_Tonight we make our dreams…._

Jack took one of her hands in his free one and kissed the back of her hand as if she was a queen.

_"Come true."_

He grinned slightly as he released her hand, and she stumbled backwards back into her chair, her face a mixture of surprise yet delight. He laughed and back-flipped back on to the stage.

_"Oh, it's a new world! It's a new start!  
It's alive with the beating of young hearts!  
It's a new day! It's a new plan!  
I've been waiting for you!"_

_"Oh! It's a new world! It's a new start!_

_It's alive with the beating of young hearts!_

_It's a new day! It's a new plan!_

_I've been waiting for you!"_

Jack paused for a second, looking at everybody in the crowd. "Here I am," he finished softly with a final light strum on the guitar. "This is me."

There was silence for a second, then everybody jumped to their feet, Toothiana and North among the first, applauding as hard as they could with the yetis and elves. Even Sandy floated off of his seat at the piano and began clapping. Bunny was the only one who stayed in his seat, scowling at the ground.

"Thank you! Thank you very much! Thanks everybody!" he said into the microphone, grinning. "Goodnight!" He threw up the peace-sign as the lights dimmed, and flew down from the stage and strode up to North. "Happy?" he demanded, though he couldn't erase the huge grin on his face.

"Happy? Happy?" He grabbed him by the shoulders and began to shake him hard enough to make his teeth rattle. "That was фантастический!" North exclaimed, dropping him. Jack rubbed his shoulders, wincing. "You should have done this long time ago!"

"Jack, you were fantastic!" Tooth cried flying in between them. "You sing..." she struggled to find the right word. "_Pulchre!_" she finally said.

He squinted at her. "Is that Latin?" he asked suspiciously.

"Yeah, I switch to Latin when I can't find the right word in English," she explained, embarrassed, as she smoothed back her head feathers. He smirked as he tucked a stray feather back behind her ear.

"Okay, enough with the cuddly-muddy stuff, mate," Bunny put in, jumping in between them, ignoring the glare from Jack. "Can we move on to the next song? I was hoping that I would be able to sing tonight. I've been practicing," he added.

"Actually, I was hoping that I would get these two—" North grabbed Tooth's hand and pulled her over to where Jack was standing—"to do duet together. Wouldn't that be great?"

"Uh, actually, no, that would _not _be great," Jack said. Noticing Tooth's crestfallen face, he added quickly, "No offense.

"No, it's okay," she said hastily.

"I'll sing a duet with you if this show-pony won't, mate," Bunny offered.

"No! I want these two to sing duet!" North insisted. He grabbed the back of Jack's sweater and Tooth's wings and lifted them up into the air.

"Hey! Let me go!" Jack flailed around and kicked his feet, but North had an iron grip. He marched up on to the stage, where a second stool seemed to have magically appeared. He slammed them down on each one, and swung another microphone out of nowhere in front of Jack.

Jack glared up at the jolly man. "Come on, you're not serious?" he cried. "I mean, you just forced me to sing a song already and—"

"Ah! But you _chose_ to do that!" he reminded him. He bent down in front of them and whispered, "Now, you are singing Do Not Let Go by Bryan Adams and Sarah McLaughlin. Understand?"

"Do we have a choice?" Jack grumbled as he removed his guitar and handed it to him.

"Aw, come on, Jack. It'll be fun!" Tooth said excitedly, bouncing in her seat.

He turned his head to glare at the bouncing fairy, but his gaze softened when he met her bright eyes, filled with an almost childish light. He felt the frown on his face become a light smile.

"'Kay. Now, you two sing good music, kapeesh?" North said.

"Okay, North," Tooth said.

"Yeah, sure," Jack heard himself say, still busy staring at Tooth.

"Okay. Mazel tov, you two." He winked at Jack, then clapped them both on the shoulder and hurried back to his seat.

"Hey," Jack said to Tooth. "Remember, the story is that we were forced to do this," he grinned.

A confused look came on to her face, then she smiled and laughed when she got it. "Don't worry, we'll do great," she assured him, helping sooth his nervousness, rubbing his shoulder. He tried to ignore the shivers running up and down his back.

"I hope," he muttered, though he couldn't help the grin growing on his face.

"Oh, the music's starting!" she whispered excitedly, clapping as the lights began to dim, leaving twin beams on them. Sandy began to play on the piano as the band that Jack still couldn't manage to locate joined in. "Get ready," she hissed to him. He nodded, and leaned into the microphone and began,

_"I can't believe this moment's come.  
It's so incredible that we're alone.  
There's so much to be said and done. _

_It's impossible not to be overcome." _

Jack tried to keep a bored, unwilling look on his face as he sang, to make sure North realized that he didn't want to do this.

_Will you forgive me if I feel this way?_ _  
'Cause we've just met - tell me that's OK."_

He gave her a playful shove at the last line. She giggled, then they sang together,

_So take this feeling, make it grow  
Never let it - never let it—"_

Just then, Tooth started to sing her part. Jack froze, his mask of indifference slipping away, staring at her. "Go," he whispered, barely audible under Tooth's amazing voice.

_"Don't…..let….go—"  
_"_You give me something that I can believe in_,"he interjected. _  
"No, don't…..let—"  
"Go of this moment in time,_" Tooth and Jack sang together. _  
"Don't….let…go—"  
"I can't explain the things that I'm feeling," _Jack mused, thinking about how they applied to himself. _  
"No, don't….let—"  
"No, I won't let," _he promised before they said together,

"_Go._"

Jack got an idea, and nudged Tooth. She turned to him, looking at him as he began to sing to her,

"_Now would you mind if I bared my soul?"_

_"Bared my soul to you_," she echoed._  
"If I came right out and said you're beautiful?" _

Her eyes widened as he gave her a quick smile before turning back to the crowd. She hastily did the same, though he could see the pink tinged in her cheeks.

_"Cause there's something here I can't explain.  
I feel I'm diving into driving rain."_

"_Diving in to the driving rain,_" she echoed, turned her head again to look at him._  
"You get my senses running wild,_" he continued.

_"I can't resist your sweet, sweet smile._"

He stroked the right side of her cheek, earning one from her. He could faintly hear Bunny's snort over the sound of the roaring in his ears. They turned back to the audience, and continued together,

_"So take this feeling. Make it grow.  
Never let it - never let it—" _

_"Don't…..let….go—"_

_"You give me something that I can believe in._"

_"No, don't…..let—" _

_"Go of this moment in time."_

_"Don't….let…go—" _

_"I can't explain the things that I'm feeling."_

_ "No, don't let—" _

_"No, I won't let—"_

_"Go."_

_"I've been waiting all my life—" _Tooth cried,

"_All my life," _Jack echoed._  
"To make this moment feel so right."_

Jack slipped his hand into hers, and was pleased when she wrapped her little fingers around his own, and looked into Tooth's eyes as they sang together,

_ "The feel of you just fills the night.  
So c'mon - just hold on tight."_

Tooth smiled at him, while squeezing his hand encouragingly during the pause from the music.

"_Don't…let…..go_—"

"_You gave me something that I can believe in_," he said warmly as the music started back up. Snow began to fall from the ceiling, and Jack grinned sheepishly. Tooth only laughed and caught one on her finger as she continued,

_Don't…..let—" _

_"Go of this moment in time." _He swung her hand, smiling back.

_"Don't….let…go—" _

_"I can't explain the things that I'm feeling."_

_ "Don't….let—" _

"_No, I won't let—_"

"_Go….._"

"_Don't...let—_"

"_No, I won't let—_"

"_Go…._"

"No, don't, don't…let go_,_"she whispered. "No, I won't…let go_._" Her hand slipped out of his. He looked at her, confused. She smirked, ruffling his hair as Sandy finished the song.

_So this is what it feels like to be friend-zoned, _Jack thought to himself as the crowd applauded loudly.

"Beautiful! Beautiful!" North called over the sound of his thunderous clapping.

"Thanks, North," Tooth replied as she flew down to him. "But I can't really take all of the credit. Jack was doing all the work," she said, gesturing the pale boy had just flown down beside her.

"Aw, thanks Tooth. You weren't too bad yourself," he complimented.

"'Too bad'? 'Too bad'? Is that all you have to bloody say about her?" Bunny demanded as he stood up from his seat. "She was bloody brilliant! Much better than that little show you put up on the stage," he sneered.

"What show?" Jack asked, genuinely confused.

"That little hand-thing that you two were doing. Don't think we didn't miss it, mate," Bunny snarled.

"Oh, that?" He gave the Easter Bunny his old crap-eating grin and leaned against his staff, which had just been returned to him by Sandy. "I thought you wouldn't mind, you having a girlfriend and all."

"It was just a show, that's all," Tooth interrupted hastily, as Bunny looked about ready to beat him over the head with his boomerang. "Also, what have you prepared for tonight?" she asked, changing the subject.

Bunny grinned, all of the annoyance on his face suddenly wiped clean. "I thought you'd never ask." He jumped on to the stage and tapped the spot next to him with his foot, and a hole opened up next to him. A bunch of miniature egg statues hopped out of the tunnel. "Okay, mates, just like we practiced," he murmured to them as they marched into formation. Then he turned to Sandy. "Sandy, hit it!"

The little man gave him the thumbs up, then grabbed two drumsticks and started to bang on the two huge drums that, again, magically appeared on stage behind the microphone.

"What is he gonna do?" Jack whispered to Tooth as they sat down next to North and laid his staff on his lap as Sandy continued banging on the drums.

"I don't know," she whispered back as the lights dimmed and the band dimmed in.

"And where's the band?" he asked.

"Hush!" North hissed. "Show is starting!"

He rolled his eyes, and rested his chin in the palm of his hand as he watched Bunny beginning to dance along with his egg statues.

"_Keep rollin', rollin', rollin'._

_Keep movin', movin', movin'._

_Keep them doggies moving, rawhide!_

_Rain and wind and weather!_

_Hell-bent for leather!_

_Wishin' me girl was by me side!_"

The eggs rolled in front of him, and began singing in a deeper, more American accent, though Jack had no clue where their voices were coming from. They chanted,

"_Keep rollin', rollin', rollin'._

_Keep movin', movin', movin'._

_Keep them doggies moving, rawhide!_

_Rain and wind and weather!_

_Hell-bent for leather!_

_Wishin' me girl was by me side!_"

Jack watched as they began to what looked like grab partners and dance around each other and even over as they leaped over one another when the chorus began.

"_Move 'em on, head 'em up_

_Head 'em up, move 'em out_

_Move 'em on, head 'em up_

_Rawhide!_

Bunny, somehow managing to get through all of the eggs without crushing a single one, made it to the front, and started singing over the rest of the chanting,

_"_Set_ 'em out, ride 'em in,_

_Ride 'em in, count 'em out,_

_Count 'em out, ride 'em in_

_Rawhide!_"

The eggs rolled to a stop in front of his feet in the shape of a bunny on top of each other before the last few bongs. The audience clapped, though Jack noticed that he didn't receive a standing ovation.

"Well, mates?" he asked as he hopped back down on to the ground.

"That was amazing, Bunny!" the tooth fairy exclaimed. _You didn't say pulchre_, Jack thought to himself, grinning.

"Wow, Bunny, I never knew you were a fan of Happy Feet 2," Jack said, grinning as he propped himself against his staff.

"Wha-What did you say?" he demanded, standing dangerously over the young Guardian.

"What? I'm being completely serious!" he exclaimed defensively. "They played that song in Happy Feet 2 and you guys seemed to replicate their version really well," he added.

"Why thank you, mate, I—wait a second!"

"He means that as compliment!" North put in hurriedly. "Right, Jack?"

"Hey, how he takes it is on him," he replied, throwing up his hands.

North groaned and leaned back in his chair. Suddenly, they heard a loud jingling sound. Everyone turned to see Sandy shaking an elf by the tip of his pointy hat by the piano. He dropped it, looking fairly irritated, and pointed at the piano, then himself.

"Oh, I forgot, Sandy! Each night, before we close Karaoke Night, Sandy plays the most wonderful piano solo in the whole world!" North explained to Jack's confused look.

"Aye, he plays a darn good solo if I do say myself," Bunny said proudly.

"Go ahead, Sandy! Play for us!" North called as Bunny hopped over to the seat next to him.

The sandman grinned and floated back into his seat. He cracked his knuckles, then laid his fingers on the piano.

"What's he gonna play?" Jack whispered to Tooth.

"I don't know. He's played something different every night for the past four hundred years," she replied, shrugging.

He nodded, impressed, and leaned back in his chair as the other Guardian began to play. Jack listened, trying to figure out if he could name the song. He guessed had already guessed that theme of tonight was movie soundtracks, so he searched his head for all the movies he had secretly sneaked into the theater to see.

It was slow, and hesitant. Sandy only had to press one key with each hand at a time. Jack found himself humming along to it. "I'll be waiting here for you. Our love shall ever be….." he sang softly, matching the hesitant tone, without knowing it.

"You know the song?" Tooth whispered in surprise.

"I think so. I'm not sure," he whispered back.

"Keep on singing," she encouraged. "It goes really well with the song."

He nodded, and continued on, a bit louder,

_"Ruthless winds, raging seas._

_Who has stolen my true love?_

_Davy Jones of the Seven Seas._

_Oh, bring him back to me..."_

Bunny leaned over his seat to glare at Jack, but he ignored him.

_"Every day and every night,_

_Locked in darkness, all alone,_

_Many tears, my love, I have shed_

_Hoping you would come….."_

Sandy looked up in surprise at Jack, then grinned as the piano suddenly began to shift and mold into an organ. He began to play the organ with more ferocity, more passion. Jack could barely keep up when he started the melody back up. On a sudden whim, he stood up and began to stride towards the organ to the beat.

"_Waves so high, hear them clash!_

_Thunderous as the lightning!_

_Calling me away from here,_

_And our love, shall I not bring?_"

_"All these years, oh, my sweet Goddess,  
Bound to sail these wretched seas!  
I have always thought of you,  
Oh, my dear Calypso…."_

Suddenly, the orchestra, though Jack couldn't find that, either, joined in, on a slightly higher pitch, sending shivers down the Guardians' back. Snow began to swirl around the room, roaring as if it was a blizzard, matching the passion of the instruments. Jack had to fight to keep his voice just above the music as he turned to face the crowd.

_"Now, when I can step on land!  
And feel the touch of the burning sand,  
When my path to you is clear  
I fear my end is near…"_

"_Calypso, cruel Goddess!_

_You shall pay for my suffering!_

_But when I see what I've done to you,_

_My heart does not dare to beat..._"

For a couple moments, the drums pounded themselves, then the orchestra started to play their part, and Jack sat down on the seat, suddenly worn out, next to the sandman, listening to the beauty of it. He let it continue for about a couple minutes, then Sandy pulled out a sandy flute and began to play it, the sweet melody that sounded like the ones before whistling through the air. The orchestra began to play behind it after it played a verse, the violins and basses bringing out its sound. Jack closed his eyes.

Just then, a burst of sound filled the auditorium. The wind began to pick up with the song. Jack's eyes flickered open, then widened. Golden strands of sand started to stray out of Sandy and floated across the room, making it almost eerie, in a strange, beautiful way. Jack watched the golden strands with wonder-filled eyes, watching the golden _aurora borealis_ flicked across the air. He mourned the loss of it as the sandman brought them back into him. Sandy went back to playing the piano, playing the same hesitant melody as in the beginning. The snow swirled and spiraled to a stop. Jack almost whispered the last couple verses, knowing it would bounce across the virtually silent room.

"_Though your heart belongs to the sea,_

_I will still be true…._

_I'm here waiting patiently  
And still in love with you…."_

_"We sail, we sail through storm and flash._

_We live in between night and death._

_The night shows thee the face behind_

_A curse for endless time…._"

Everybody practically leaped to their feet as soon as he finished the last word, roaring their approval and jumping up and down. Tooth shrieked and flew up on to stage, and practically tackled Jack in what could only be described as a fairy hug: the only thing more dangerous than a bear hug. He gasped for breath as she squeezed him like a boa constrictor.

"Jack! _Superbus sum vobis!Tu canis pulchre!" _she cried as she pulled back, though still holding him at an arm's length. Then she added to the sandman,_ "Sandy, vos psallebat pulchre! Vos tam magna erant!_"

The sandman bowed, a huge grin on his face. "Thanks, Tooth," Jack said softly.

"Honestly, though, WHERE did you learn that song from?" Tooth asked, her eyes filled with wonder and admiration.

"It took me second," he admitted, "but I think I finally got it when I had to say 'Davy Jones of the Seven Seas'," he said wryly to his friend, then turned back to Tooth. "It's from Pirates of the Caribbean 2 and 3. Davy Jones's lullaby," he explained. "I think one of Hans Zimmer's best work," he stated proudly.

"What's Pirates of the Caribbean?" she asked, a confused look on her face.

He rolled his eyes. "It's a movie. I'll take you to go see it one day," he promised.

"Take us ALL to go see it, Jack!" North boomed. "With a movie with that much fantastic music, it must be fantastic itself!"

"Well done, mate! Well done!" Bunny exclaimed, clapping his furry paws together as he came up to the other Guardians. "I must say, though, Jack, was the indoor blizzard necessary? Some of us are freezing enough," he growled.

"Aw, come on, Bunny, enjoy the snow for once!" the boy laughed, elbowing him lightly.

He rolled his eyes. "Well, I have to get back to the Warren. See you next month!" He tapped the ground next to him, which opened up to the tunnels, and leaped in. The ground closed over him.

Sandy flashed a sandy sign of kids sleeping, then waved, and flew out of the room. "And then there were three," Jack muttered.

"You, too, should be getting rest, Jack," North said softly, laying a huge hand on his shoulder. "It is getting late."

"It's okay. I'll just find some tree to sleep in," he yawned, stretching.

Tooth and North glanced at each other. "Jack, how would you like to stay at the Tooth Palace for a while?" Tooth asked. "At least, until you can make a place of your own," she added hastily.

He couldn't believe his ears. Sleeping in the Tooth Palace? With _Tooth_? This was too good to be true. "Uh, yeah, sure," he stuttered. Realizing how stupid he sounded, he cleared his throat and added in a much more calm tone, "That would be nice."

"Great! I can't wait for you to try out the guest room! It hasn't been slept in in a long time," she confessed.

He raised an eyebrow. "How long is a long time?"

"About two hundred years."

"Ah." He wondered if it would look like fancy 1800s bedrooms or late colonial pioneer rooms.

North cleared his throat. "Well, you two better best be going! I must finish making my toys! Christmas is only few months away!"

"Okay, North!" Jack thought it was best not to mention that it was only October. He grabbed his staff and was about to make a dash for the door when he suddenly remembered his guitar. He ran back to his seat where it was laying, slung it over his back, then followed Tooth outside.

* * *

I suck at romantic writing. :P Anyway, here are the songs(for the Davy Jones Lullaby there's two videos you have to listen to fully understand what I was talking about)

Fallen- Sarah McLaughlin

Here I Am- Bryan Adams 3 (brought back a classic)

Don't Let Go- Bryan Adams & Sarah McLaughlin

Rawhide- Elephant seal Chorus (Happy Feet 2)

Davy Jones' Lullaby(Music Box Version + Organ/Orchestra) -Hans Zimmer

I also made up most of the lyrics, but a couple verses I got from a few others. You should check out their videos:

1. Davy Jones' Lullaby WITH LYRIC- Stephanie Pitcher  
2. Davy Jones' Lullaby- Alex Mihai

Comments would be nice. :)


	2. Tooth Palace

Hey there. :)  
Not much going on, I am getting kind of sick though.  
Just a pointless rant my boyfriend made me put in after a phone call at three o'clock in the morning. He calls it "fluff" but it really does sound like just "random stuff" to me. But I love him, so I did as he requested.

Hope you like what he made me write.

I own nothing.

* * *

On the way to the Tooth Palace, Tooth was still blithering on about the Davy Jones's Lullaby song that he and Sandy had done. Jack had to admit, this was the first time he had heard her talk about anything obsessively besides teeth, and was pleased to know it was about him.

"And then you just made the wind fly all over place without even using your staff!" she exclaimed, doing figure-8s above him before zooming back down to his side. "How did you do that?"

"I don't know. I just did," he shrugged.

"Well, it was truly amazing, Jack. Truly," she said warmly. He smiled at her, trying to ignore the butterflies in his stomach. "I'm really glad you came," she said

softly. "Before you, Karaoke Night was, well, kind of boring," she admitted, crossing her arms.

"What? Karaoke Night with the Guardians? How could THAT be boring?" he demanded.

She shrugged. "It just wasn't exciting. Don't get me wrong, Sandy is terrific with the drums and piano, and North plays the bagpipes really well, and it's really funny when Bunny tries to sing an American song," she giggled, then sighed. "But it just wasn't that much fun."

"But what about you?" Jack couldn't help himself from asking.

"What about me?"

"Your singing."

She chuckled wryly. "Jack, you heard me up there. I can't sing worth a quarter," she said sadly.

"Toothiana!" He grabbed her arm and yanked her to a stop in midair. "Don't you EVER say that about yourself. I wasn't lying at all when I said you sang well. It was understatement. You sing—" he struggled to find the word she had used earlier. "Pulacherry?" he tried.

She laughed. "_Pulchre_," she corrected, poking at some snow that had fallen on to his nose(it had begun to snow).

"Yeah, _pulchre_. You sing beautifully. You're like a, um, a—" He looked around for inspiration, then found it as a snowflake fell in between them. "A snowflake!" he exclaimed as he caught it in one hand, and held it out to her.

"A snowflake," she repeated, trying not to laugh.

"A snowflake. They're amazing, they bring little sparkles of joy with them," he teased, earning a laugh out of her, then flicked it up on to his index finger. "And each one is unique," he said softly, holding it up to her.

"I thought that was a myth."

He shook his head. "Each one is different. Each one has their own charm to it. Just like you."

"A snowflake," she repeated, though this time there was a glimmer of respect in her eyes as she reach out to touch it. He held it in place as she tentatively ran her finger along the thin frost formation. "But they're nothing like me," she insisted as she pulled her finger away.

"Yes, you are! You're both are amazing and unique and graceful and beaut—" He bit on his tongue.

"And what?" she asked, curiosity plain on her face.

He swallowed. _Say it. Say it. Beautiful_, he thought. "Beau—" he tried, but cracked on the last note He laughed nervously while tugging at collar or his sweater.

"Is it getting hot out here or is it just me?" he tried to joke.

She raised an eyebrow. "You're Jack Frost. You bring snow wherever you go."

"Yeah…." He let the snowflake melt, and shuffled in the air, embarrassed.

To his surprise, she hugged him. He stood there, arms out on each side, unsure what he had done or said to earn a hug. "You're a lot sweeter than I thought you would be, Jack," she told him as she pulled back, and ruffled his hair affectionately.

He blushed, his cheeks turning blue instead of red. "Thanks. Now, let's get back to the palace so I can get some sleep. I think I'm about to pass out," he fake-yawned. An idea popped into his head. He grinned mischievously at Tooth. "Last one back is a melted snowball!" he shouted before zooming away into the blizzard.

"Oh no you don't!" Tooth raced after him, her eyes narrowed in concentration to get through all of the wind and snow. She had been at this for over a thousand years and knew the wind patterns as well as the back of her hand to navigate her home, while Jack, for all of his powers, could barely navigate himself through the wind and sleet. Jack didn't even notice when she flew past him until he made it to the Tooth Palace and she was waiting in the lobby of the main castle for him, which was modeled like the castle rooms of medieval times, with long comfy sofas and bookcases along the walls and a huge fireplace with a fire going.

"Tea?" she asked, trying to hold back the grin on her face as she held up a cup to him from the tea set on coffee table.

He looked at her incredulously. "How did you get—I mean, how did you past me? I didn't even see you! And how do you fly that fast?" he babbled as he took the cup from her.

"I have my ways," she said mysteriously, winking at him.

He laughed and took a sip from the cup. It was hot—Tooth was the only one that knew that he wasn't just all about the cold—and tasted surprisingly good.

He sipped some more. It tasted like mint and chamomile. "Mmmm, this is really good, Tooth," he told her as he sat down in the cushy armchair next to her. "What is it?"

"SleepyTime tea," she answered, taking a sip from her own cup. "One of my favorites. Never had it?"

"Nope." He shook his head as he drank a little bit more from it. It scalded his tongue, but the flavor quickly soothed the pain. He eagerly downed the little tea cup before setting it down on the nightstand next to him and licking his lips.

"Wow, I've never seen anyone enjoy my tea more than me," Tooth teased as she refilled his cup and handed it back to him.

"Sorry," he muttered, and this time tried his best to drink it slowly.

They were silent for a while, staring at the fire, then Tooth finally said, "I've watched Pirates of the Caribbean. All four of them," she added.

Jack gaped at her. "But back at the North Pole you said—"

"I know. Sometimes I sneak out to see a movie every once in a while," she admitted. "The Hunger Game is my favorite. And Fantasia, the 1940 version."

"Really?" he asked, impressed. Those were his favorites, too. "My favorite segment's the beginning. When they're showing the instruments playing and the pictures. And the part about how they the world was created."

"Those are mine, too! And the Nutcracker! And I love the ending of it, too!" she exclaimed. Something flashed across her face, and her smile suddenly fell into a frown.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, it's just…" she trailed off. "I was watching the 2000 version the other week in a boy's room who had left it on, and then the ending one came."

"Firebird Suite?"

She nodded. "Yeah, and I was watching the sprite and how she seemed to have been destroyed by the volcano spirit….and how she came back to life. It was just so powerful, how she was able to get over the effects of the eruption and make all of the forest come back to life." She shook her head. "It was so beautiful."

"I think, besides the beginning and the one about the whales, that was the best out of all of the segments. I think it told the story of Mount St. Helen," he said thoughtfully as he took a more careful sip from his cup. He winced at the memory of the erupting volcano, the magma shooting out, stinging him as he flew by, trying to cool down the lava as it ran down the hillside before it could reach the town below. "I was there," he said so softly that Tooth barely caught it.

"You were there? When it erupted?" she gasped.

Jack nodded. "It was bad. I was trying to make it snow up there for the last time, it being May and all, and then I just heard a loud boom, and I looked behind me and…" He could feel the ash clouds going over him, choking him as he desperately tried to find out way out of the dark smoke. He shuddered.

"Was it that bad?" she whispered. He nodded, unable to get words out. "Jack, I'm so sorry." She gently ran her fingers along the edge of his jaw. Her hand was so warm against his skin, warmer than the tea he had just swallowed; it seemed to pierce through his skin and fill him with that deliciously annoying warm feeling in him. Without thinking, he caught her hand and gently pressed it against his cheek.

She didn't say anything, but her eyes slightly widened. Realizing what he had just done, he let her hand go, and his cheeks blushed a slight blue. "Sorry," he mumbled.

"It's okay," she said hastily, her own cheeks pink. Tooth smoothed back her head feathers, unsure of what to say, then glanced at the other Guardian, who was studying the fire. "Hey, Jack?" He turned to her. "Promise you won't tell anyone? About me sneaking out to see movies? The others won't understand; they'll think I'm not paying enough attentions to my duties," she confessed.

The tense atmosphere was gone; he gave her his usual cheeky grin. "Or what? You'll give me a quarter?" he joked.

"I think I will, because in order for you to get a quarter, a tooth has to be knocked out," she said calmly, inspecting her knuckles. "I think a dollar would be more appropriate, what do you think?" she held up her fist threateningly.

Jack's eyes widened. "You wouldn't."

"Oh really?" she smirked. "Pitch thought the same."

"Hmm….well, this puts me at an interesting dilemma," he mused. "I want to tell the others so badly, but I don't want you getting hurt."

She frowned. "Me? Did you not hear what I just said?"

He flashed another dazzling grin at her. "Oh I heard exactly what you just said." Before she could even blink, he had her pinned down on the carpet, his fingers wrapped tightly around her wrists, her arms held up over her head, and positioned right over her so that she couldn't move.

"Hey!" she struggled underneath him while he laughed. "Jack! Let me up!"

"Or what?" he dared.

She looked up into his chrysalis blue eyes, and growled, "Jack Overland Frost, if you do not release me at this moment I'll sick my fairies on you!"

Jack frowned. "Aw, come on. Let's have a little _fun_," he whispered in her ear, his cold breath stirring against her feathers. She felt a shiver run through her. He leaned forward and pressed his forehead against hers before gently pressing his lips on it. They were oddly warm, and she felt herself relaxing under his hold, instead of telling him to stop, though she was still confused. His grip on her loosened as he shifted his head and he had their foreheads touching again.  
Blue stared into violet again. Then again, as he got a really good look at them, they were more of an amethyst color. _Amethyst_. That sounded a lot more beautiful than violet. It sounded so much more poetic. Maybe he should write a poem for her, add that in there. They were so beautiful, _she_ was so beautiful. The way she would just stare up at him with wide eyes, but didn't tell him to move or anything. Did she even _want_ him to move? Was she waiting for him to do something? Holy snowflakes, was she expecting him to _kiss_ her?

Jack was getting so caught up in his thoughts that he didn't hear the increasingly loud jingling in his ears until it went over the voice in his head. He looked up, confused, then froze when he saw- out of all people to walk in on them- Sandy at the door entrance, holding a golden bell. His face was one of irritation and surprise.

"Sandy!" Jack exclaimed, a burst of air blowing him up to his feet. Tooth shrieked, and quickly flew to her feet. "I, uh, I didn't see you there!" He laughed nervously, scratching the back of his neck. The little man crossed his arms and looked up at Jack with a stern face. "What? Tooth and I were just having a little fun," he said defensively, putting his hands on his hips.

The sandman rolled his eyes, but didn't sign anything. Instead, he just pulled out a sheet of papers and held out a couple to Jack. He took them hesitantly.

"What's this?" he asked as he handed some to Tooth. Sandy started flashing a bunch of signs above his head so fast that Jack could barely tell one from another. "Uh, dude? That's not really helping."

"These are the songs we're going to do at the Winter Concert," Tooth exclaimed as she looked them over.

"Winter Concert?"

"Yeah, it's this huge competition where spirits get together and sing, like with a glee club," she explained. "North holds it on the winter solstice, to celebrate the beginning of winter, and a Christmas one the day before Christmas Eve." She looked over the song lyrics. "Hmm, it says the theme is Africa this year."

"Wait, how come I've never heard of this?" he demanded.

"Because he only invites the nice spirits," she said carelessly, then froze. "Oh, Jack! I didn't mean to—"

"No, it's okay," he cut her off. "I understand." Then he turned to the sandman, who was reading his own set of lyrics. "So we're going to be practicing for this?" Sandy nodded.

"Two of us get a solo, then there's one or two duets, and then there's the grand finale," she explained. "But that doesn't seem the case this year. Hmm, it looks like we're doing another duet together," she frowned.

"Aw, hoping to get one with Bunny?" he teased, though he was glad that he and her were able to sing another song together.

"Actually, you got that," she said wryly.

"WHAT?"

"Look for yourself."

He flipped through the songs, then found that he and Bunny were singing "One Day" together. He groaned. "And I don't have a say in this, do I?"

"Not at all," she said cheerfully, then groaned herself. "I have three solos! Three!"

"Don't feel so bad, we'll be singing behind you," he assured her. "All of the songs are group songs."

"I know, but I've never had this many solo parts, although, you have three, too," she said, looking at his. "Wow, North really did change it up this year. Waka Waka, Maware Maware, Ke Nako, One Day, Shosholoza, and Sign of a Victory. All songs from the Listen Up album in 2010."

"That was a good album," Jack put in, then turned to Sandy, who was still reading over his own script. "Get any parts?"

"Sandy usually plays the instruments," she said. "What do you have to play this year?" she asked, turning to him. Sandy flashed a piano, a set of drums, a flute, a violin, a bass, and what looked like a pair of maracas over his head.

She whistled. "Better start practicing on those."

He flashed them the thumbs-up sign, then turned to leave, but before doing so, he gave Jack the universal I'm-watching-you sign.

"Hey!" he cried.

"Don't get upset. Sandy likes to have his little joke once in a while," she teased, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Humph," he grumbled. Changing the subject, he inquired, "What about the songs for the Christmas Concert?"

"Hmm? Oh, we only get those if we get a hit at this one," she told him. "North will give us the songs after it's over."

"Have you ever not won?"

"Once. It was just after Bunny joined us. His accent threw us off," she admitted. "But North was able to find him some songs that wouldn't mess us up too badly."

"Ah, nice to know."

She saw the mischievous look in his eye and immediately knew what he was thinking. "Don't you even DARE think about teasing him again!"

"Or what? And don't say you'll punch me, because you'll end up right back on the floor."

She rolled her eyes. "You caught me off-guard, that's all. I could have easily stopped you I hadn't."

"Is that so?" He raised an eyebrow. "Are you on-guard now?"

"Yes, but—"

Jack, quick as a flash, had her pinned down underneath him in less than two seconds.

"As you were saying?" he grinned.

* * *

I know, I know, one of my worst. But now I have someone to blame it on! :D

Please do review.


	3. Hardwork

The love! There's so much love! I can barely stand it! :D I appreciate ALL of your reviews from just TWO stories. I'm even considering giving you the NEXT chapter in an hour or so. ;)

I own nothing.

* * *

Jack spent the next few weeks practicing his parts, taking the fact that the Guardians had never lost at the Winter Concert seriously. He went over to North's to ask him about how he should do the dance moves- he was surprised that such a big man could be so graceful and flexible-, and practiced his and Tooth's parts with her, trying to make sure their parts coincided with each other just right. He even went down to Bunny's Warren to practice.

"I don't think I've ever seen you this concentrated, mate," Bunny once told him after they had mastered their duet song in late October.

"I don't want us to fail," he had responded truthfully.

By the first day of November, he had all of the songs down to pat.

Except one.

And it would be his luck that it would be the only song that he was doing completely solo until towards the end. Nobody would be backup-singing, or chanting, or even dancing behind him. It was only him. Well, except Sandy, who would be playing various instruments, but that didn't count.

He had most of it covered, but there was one part where he had to hit not only an extremely high note for him, but hold it for ten seconds! He wouldn't have really cared, except that there was no chance to take a breath any time before.

"Come on, Jack, you almost had it that time," Tooth said encouragingly.

"Thanks," he muttered, knowing that the fairy was only trying to make him feel better on messing up for the umpteenth time. It was the last day of October, less than two months before the concert, and he and Tooth were getting a bit of practice done in his guest room(which had actually looked like it was a fancy hotel suite, to his pleasure), and although he had improved on the note, he still wasn't able to hit it right.

"I don't know why I can't get it!" he fumed, standing up from his chair and throwing the paper on to the bed. "I've tried every day, all night! I've done the warm-ups, taken the herbs, drunken the tea, and nothing seems to work!"

He swung his staff angrily, and it hit the fireplace, which made ice formations crawl around the mantelpiece and freeze the fire.

"Jack!" Tooth exclaimed, surprised at the sudden burst of fury.

"I don't know what I'm doing wrong! I've tried everything, but I'm gonna make us all look like a bunch of idiots when we get up on stage!" He swung it again, and this time a bolt of ice flew from it, tearing through one of the paintings on the wall.

"Jack, stop!"

"And then, for the first time in a thousand years, we'll lose the Winter Concert! All because of me!"

Tooth flew in front of Jack, and shoved him roughly against the wall, and he gasped. She winced as she did so, not wanting to hurt him, but she didn't know any other way to get his attention. "Jack! You are NOT going to fail at the concert!" she told him firmly. "You are going to rock it like no other Guardian! You're gonna be able to do this if you just _believe._"

His eyes flickered up to meet hers. "But what am I supposed to believe in?" he croaked, "if I can't believe in myself?"

She hesitated, then answered, saying the words that felt right deep in her heart. "Believe in what matters most to you," she replied softly. "What drives you."

He gave her a wry smile. "My center?"

"No, not your center," she disagreed. "Your…your passion. What inspires you. What drives you," she repeated

Jack frowned. "I would say Jamie, or the kids, but I don't think that that's it right now."

"Well, I hope you find it soon. Or else, we're all going to absolutely _suck_ at the concert."

"Hey, that's not fair!" he protested.

"Life's not fair." She gave him a small smile. "You'll get it eventually. I promise." Then, even though she knew that she shouldn't, she fluttered up a few inches and gently kissed him on the cheek. She heard his breath quicken, but he didn't say anything. She rested back on to the floor and gently patted him on the shoulder, thinking that the usual ruffle of the hair would be too much affection for him. "Get some sleep," she said softly. "You'll need it for tomorrow."

He sighed, and nodded. "But, um, you're kind of, uh, really close to me."

"Huh?" she looked down, then realized that their chests were touching. Embarrassed, she flew back and ran a hand through her head feathers. "I'm sorry. Um, uh...goodnight," she stammered as she rubbed her arm and began to fly towards the door.

"Goodnight, Tooth," he said as he got ready for bed, pulling off his hoodie and laying it on the chair. "See you in the morning."

She nodded and hurriedly left before he could take off his shirt. She didn't want him to see her swoon at his muscular chest like last time. He had teased her enough about it already.

Jack waited until Tooth was out of the tower to throw back on his hoodie and shirt, then went over to the window, and whispered, "Wind!" An answering breeze brushed against his face. "Take me to the lake!" The wind curled around him, and swept him up into the sky.

He flew through the frosty air until he reached Burgess. But he wasn't visiting Jamie. Jack flew through the forest until he had reached the lake where he had drowned, though he'd rather not remember that.

His bare feet dragged across the frozen lake as he slid on the ice to the other side until he reached the half-hidden house on the other. He had been coming here for the past few nights working on his new home. He had made impressive progress, if he didn't say himself. It was four stories high, nothing major, and about twice as long as a school bus. Not to mention it was made of never-melting ice. It had taken him a while to perform the trick on such a large scale, but it had come out really well. It looked like a magnified cottage.

Jack walked up the stairs to the porch and laid his staff on the chrysalis bench he had made before turning to the front of the house. Tonight he would be working on the windows.

The ice spirit took a deep breath and began his work on the space next to the door. He made the ice thinner in a perfect rectangle, adding an ice formation that twirled intricately around and over the window. He sighed in satisfaction when he looked at his work. He then flew off to add some more around the house.

Just like always, his mind began to drift to Tooth. He wondered if she was going to sleep tonight, or was going to be collecting teeth. Then he wondered where she slept. She had never taken him to her room. The again, why should she? It was probably the only place where she could get peace and quiet from her duties and fairies. He had no right to go and disrupt that. But it still didn't make him any less curious about it.

Which reminded him of how he had been lately around Tooth. He could no longer deny that he was feeling something with the fairy, something he was sure that he hadn't experienced in his life, even when he was alive. _Love. _The word popped into his head suddenly. His hands, which were moving across the window he was currently working on, froze.

_Love. _The word felt foreign to him. "But it feels right," Jack whispered to himself. He leaned against the house and put a hand on his head. "I love her," he said to himself. Suddenly, a huge grin appeared on his face. "I love her," he said loudly, then shouted, "I love her!"

He had no idea that Baby Tooth had come back up to his room to check on him, and had seen him fly away. She had told Toothiana and they both followed him to Burgess. They were now watching him from the trees at that moment. Tooth's eyes had widened at the sight of the house, and, instead of leaving or confronting him, like she should have, she watched him work. And now she was gaping at him as he shouted out his love for her, a hand over her mouth.

If Jack knew this, he probably wouldn't of done that. Or what he did next.

He flew on top of the roof, gazed up at the moon, and began to sing in a soft voice,

"_So many times out there,  
I've watched a happy pair  
Of lovers walking in the night….._"

Jack sat on the edge of the roof and looked at the town. He could faintly spot two people walking close together, holding hands. The moon shone brightly on them. How fitting.

"_They had a kind of glow around them;  
It almost looked like heaven's light…_"

He sighed as he stood up and turned his gaze back to the moon."_I knew I'd never know  
_

_That warm and loving glow,  
Though I might wish with all my might!  
No face as hideous as my face  
Was ever meant for heaven's light…"_

Tooth sat on one of the lower tree branches, a look of sadness on her face. She hated how the moon seemed to deliberately avoid shining down on him. Suddenly, Jack smiled and slid off the roof down on to the lake.

_"But suddenly an angel has smiled at me_  
_And kissed my cheek without a trace of fright…"_

He started to work on something in the ice that Tooth couldn't see, though she could see the grin on his face.

"_I dare to dream that she  
Might even care for me,  
And as I ring these bells tonight….._"

Using the same power that he had used to make a snow bunny for Jamie, he lifted his hands, and out came...a snow Tooth, every feature perfectly replicated. She smiled at him and held up her hand to him. The real Tooth's eyes widened as he continued,

"_My cold dark tower seems so bright….."_

Jack reached out to touch her hand, and she fell away into a pile of snow. He didn't seem upset, though. Instead, he turned around, the grin still on his face and sang to the moon as it shone done on him,

_"I swear it must be heaven's light…!"_

He stood there for a few seconds, breathing heavily. Tooth wished she could go down there and tell him that she loved him back, but she was…afraid. Afraid that she might be wrong, that it wasn't her that he had made a snow figure of, it was actually some pixie or sprite, that he might reject her. So she only turned away, hiding the smile on her face as she flew away. "_Te amo quoque_, Jack," she whispered.

Baby Tooth, on the other hand, didn't follow her queen. She curiously flew out of the tree branches, and chirped to Jack. He whirled around, startled from the sudden noise, then smiled when he saw it was just the little fairy. "Hey there, Baby Tooth," he greeted, skating across the lake to meet her. She waved at him as she flew into his open palm. "How are you?" he asked as he continued to skate barefoot around the lake. "I haven't seen you in a while."

She shrugged, then pointed behind him, a questioning look in her eyes. "Hmm?" He turned and saw that she was pointing at the ice house. "That? That's my new home," he told her. "It's almost done. I just need to fill it up with stuff." She chirped questioningly. "You know, like couches and paintings and tables. Maybe one or two workshops." She raised a little fairy eyebrow. "Hey! I have work to do, too! I've been trying to separate my powers so that I can put different types of fun spells on people. And I also need a huge map so I can actually plan out my snow days instead of just doing it whenever."

Suddenly, there was a loud _crack! _Jack glanced over his shoulder, then froze when he saw it.

A Nightmare.

It stood across the lake menacingly, its black sand practically oozing out of it. It didn't move or nay or whinny; it didn't even look like it was _breathing_.

Baby Tooth curiously peeked out of the cup of Jack's hand, then gasped. "It's okay, Baby Tooth," he whispered to her. "Just stay calm." He could feel his own heart pounding in his chest, though. Would it attack? Or was it just standing there? Maybe it didn't see him yet. They were far enough away so that Jack might be able to have a head start. He carefully put Baby Tooth in his pocket. The Nightmare didn't move. He swallowed, and took a single step back.

Bad choice.

It reared up, and galloped straight towards them. Jack yelled and turned around and flew up. He only made it just past the trees when the Nightmare grabbed his pants leg in its mouth and slammed him back on to the hard ice.

He gasped at the sudden impact, the breath knocked out of him, and didn't feel the Nightmare dragging him backwards until he felt the ice underneath him become snow. Jack scrabbled at the ground as the Nightmare pulled him backwards, deep into the woods, but the snow and whatever grass he was able to pull up came away at his fingers.

"Let me go!" he shouted, twisting his body so that he could kick at the Nightmare. His foot simply passed right through the skeletal horse, which kept on moving. Jack glanced around the forest desperately, looking for something to help him when he saw the bed. It was the same bed that was supposed to have disappeared into the hole where Pitch was taken. It was back!

"No!" he choked, the ice spirit paralyzed by the sudden jolt of fear that ran through him.

_Yes_…., a sinister voice whispered back.

Jack suddenly felt all feeling come back into his body, and began kicking and fighting again. But it was hopeless.

He flailed his arms, trying to grab anything, when his fingers hit something hard just as his legs entered the hole. He immediately grabbed it, and held on to the tree root with both hands, grunting as he tried to resist the Nightmare dragging him in.

Suddenly, a frightened squeak came from his hoodie pocket. Crap! He had forgotten all about Baby Tooth! Tightening his grip on the root with one hand, he reached in with his other and pulled Baby Tooth out. "Don't tell the others what happened! I'll get out of here soon enough!" he told her as she flew out of his hand.

She shook her head, and pulled insistently at his fingers. "Baby Tooth, go!" he shouted. The root suddenly broke, and he screamed as he was dragged down into the hole. Baby Tooth shrieked, and was about to fly in after him when the hole suddenly closed over. She stared in horror. How was Jack gonna get out now?

* * *

Well, I hope you like what I was able to do after two hours work.

Comment please!


	4. Captured

Hey, you guys! I decided to write you guys up another chapter, since I couldn't stop the sudden brainflow of ideas in my mind. I never realized how sick I really am. ._. F**k it! I'm writing it anyway! :D

I own nothing

* * *

The ice spirit coughed as he laid at the base of the tunnel, the Nightmare gone. It had slammed him on to the ground with a much greater force than outside, which had only been to stun him. But now, he could feel a couple of his ribs were seriously damaged, if not cracked. He winced as he sat up.

"You know, this is very exciting."

Jack held his breath as he looked up.

Pitch Black was looking back down at him. He was as just as tall and menacing as he remembered. "Mr. Jack Frost," he said softly, "it's been too long."

"Not long enough!" he spat, scrabbling away from him.

He only laughed. "Is that so?" The boogeyman strode towards Jack, who kept on backing away until his back hit the wall. "I've missed you terribly, Jack." He smirked as he bent over until they were nose-to-nose. "Haven't you missed me?"

"I'd prefer you rot in whatever hole you crawled out of."

He didn't have time to react before he felt pain against his cheek as Pitch backhanded him. "Now, let's try this again. Haven't you missed me?" he repeated.

"Go fuck yourself!" Jack shouted.

Pitch clucked his tongue, shaking his head. "We're going to have to do something about that temper, Jack." Suddenly, his hand shot out and closed around Jack's neck. He yelped as the taller man lifted him clean off of his feet and pinned him up against the wall. He tightened his grip around his throat, and he began to choke, scrabbling at his hands.

"Now, one more time. Have—you—missed—me?" he snarled, slamming him against the wall with every syllable. Jack saw stars as his head hit the wall repeatedly.

"Go to hell," he gasped when he had finished.

Pitch's eyes narrowed, then relaxed as he laughed. "Oh Jack, but this is hell." He gestured to the dark cliffs and the Nightmares who were watching. "But I'll give you one more chance." His fingers tightened so much that Jack couldn't get a single breath in. "Do you, Jack Overland Frost, miss me?" he whispered, his foul breath making him gag.

"Two words, dude. Mouth. Wash," he gasped.

"Don't make this anymore difficult, Jack. I don't want to have to kill you before I _really _get started."

Jack saw bright spots against his eyes, and his lungs were on fire. He was going to pass out if he didn't get some air. "F-F-Fine. I—ack—missed—ack—you!"

Pitch grinned. "That's all I wanted to hear," he said softly. He let Jack go, and watched him crumple to the floor. He gulped in breath as he got on his hands and knees, then glared up at him.

"Oh Jack, you mustn't look at me like that," he sighed, turning around and walking away. "I just had to show you who was in charge around here." Jack yelled as he dove for the boogeyman. Suddenly, a Nightmare met him in midair and pinned him against the ground. "Take him to the cell and prepare him," Pitch called over his shoulder. "We're a about to have a little _fun._"

* * *

Jack Frost had never felt so naked and exposed in his life, even though he was still wearing his clothes. But he was chained up so that he was in a spread-eagle in midair, the chains bound tightly so that he wouldn't even be able to lift his hand to scratch his nose. Which, actually, he longed to do right now. The cell(which looked exactly like a medieval dungeon, skeleton corpses and all)was awfully dusty, and a dust bunny had landed on his nose.

_Bunny._ He wondered if Baby Tooth had told anyone he had been captured. He prayed she hadn't. This was probably some trick Pitch had cooked up to lure all of the Guardians together to destroy them. And Jack refused to be responsible for that.

Just then, the door to the cell swung open, and Pitch strode inside, the door closing behind him. "Hello, Jack. I hope my Nightmares have treated you well," he greeted.

"You call chaining me up like some type of animal is w_ell?! _Let me go and I'll fight you right now!" he shouted, writhing and twisting in his bonds.

Pitch only laughed, and snapped his fingers. Black strands of smoke began to crawl up the chains towards the boy before twisting themselves around his body. Jack never felt so cold ever since he had become Jack Frost. They twisted around him before one went over his eyes, and he began to scream.

He saw Jamie, laying lifelessly on the ground, his blood staining the snow around him. He saw Bunny, being roasted on a pick like a real rabbit. North, his normally jolly and red face bloodless, his eyes coal black as the rope that kept him suspended in air strangled him. Then the memory of Sandy being killed flashed in his mind over and over again.

Then he saw Tooth, tied to a stake…. "Stop!" he screamed. But it continued. Her eyes, wide with terror, darted around as she desperately looked for a way out as fire was lit on to the wood and hay beneath her. They locked on to Jack, and she cried out, "Jack! Help me!" He tried to run towards her, to save her, but he couldn't move. "Jack!" she cried again as the flames caught on to her feathers. She wailed as she went up in flames, her outline visibly writhing in agony.

Suddenly, it all vanished. He found himself back in the cold cell room with Pitch, panting. "The temper, Jack," Pitch reminded him, lazily drawing a long finger along the edge of his face. He shuddered at the touch and tried to duck his head away. But Pitch just grabbed his face and held it while he leaned towards him. "You're mine now, Jack Frost," he whispered.

Jack glared at him, but didn't say anything. "Now, Jack, we are going to have a little _fun_," he hissed, whipping his hand. He turned around pulled something from one of the walls. Jack stared. It was a steel whip with little razors on the tail.

"You are sick," Jack breathed.

Pitch lashed the whip across his face. He screamed as it dug through his skin and seemed to tear off a chunk of his face. "That temper, Jack," he snarled as he whipped it again, this time at his chest. His hoodie did little to protect him from the snares that dug into his skin. He could feel the blood beginning to drip down from his cheek and chest. Pitch struck again and again, and every time Jack would cry out in agony as he ripped at his body and flesh.

"Why are you doing this?" Jack cried after he had whipped for about the sixtieth time. His clothes hung loosely on him, now ripped to shreds.

"You need…to realize…who's in charge around here," Pitch panted. "Not the Easter Bunny-"*lash*"-or the sandman-"*lash*"-or the fat Russian," he snarled, lashing the whip across his neck. Jack couldn't even scream; he gurgled as the blood began to seep into his throat and choke him. He tried to spit it out when Pitch grabbed him by the throat. "Ah ah ah. You need to swallow it."

"What?" Jack rasped. "No way!" Though his body was burning with all of the whipping, he still refused to back down.

"Swallow. It," he growled. "Or do we have to start from the beginning?" He tightened his grip to prove his point.

Blood was beginning to seep into his eyes. He had to blink them away.

"Swallow, Jack," Pitch murmured to him. "Think of it as…practice."

He coughed. "Practice for what?"

The boogeyman grinned. "You'll see. But only if you _swallow_."

Jack reluctantly did as he asked. Pitch released him. "See, Jack? That wasn't so bad." He fingered his whip lovingly, then carelessly tossed it to the side. "Now, what should we do next?" he mused, facing away from Jack. Then his face lit up. "I know!" He turned back to Jack, a knife in his hand.

It was as long as Jack's arm up to his elbow. The blade gleamed pitch black(how fitting)in the dim light, as cruelly and crooked as its master. Jack had no idea how accurate his thoughts were.

Pitch suddenly pulled his arm back and drove the knife deep into his stomach. "Yes, that's it," he panted as Jack let out a blood-curdling scream. He waited until Jack had stopped screaming until he began to pull it out—slowly. It was agony with every inch. "There," Pitch said when he it out. Jack could see that, just like the whip, it had little spikes on the blade that was now coated with his blood. "Now, time to paint on my canvas." Pitch drew the knife along Jack's body, tracing out the lean muscles and the bones, pressing hard enough so that blood would spill and mix in with the dried ones from the lashing. Jack groaned in pain, but couldn't bring himself to scream again. Pitch continued, doing his arms, legs, and around his neck. "And for the grand finale," he whispered, then stabbed him in the chest. Jack could suddenly scream again. But Pitch wasn't done; the blade still deeply embedded in Jack, he dragged across from his left pectoral to the right side of his waist, drawing through the gashes that were already there, adding to the pain. He was quietly sobbing when it was pulled out.

"Bastard," he whispered.

"I'm surprised you held your tongue for so long, Jack," Pitch replied before slicing the knife across his cheek. Jack could barely feel it; his newest wound took up most of his concentration. "What? Have nothing to say to me now?" Another slice. He whimpered. "Come on, Jack. I was starting to really get into it," Pitch pouted. When he still didn't say anything, Pitch growled, and socked him in the stomach. Jack cried out, his body attempting to double over, but the chains prevented him from doing so.

"Hmm..." Pitch stood back and stroked his chin, looking at the chained-up spirit thoughtfully. "Maybe..." He snapped his fingers, and two black strands of fog appeared at his side.

Jack glanced up, then froze when he saw the mists. "No," he choked.

"_Now _I get a reaction!" Pitch exclaimed as they crept up Jack's legs. He strained against his bonds, trying to shake them off, but they clung on as tightly as frost to a window, weaving in and out from between his legs. "There's no use trying to fight it, Jack," Pitch told him, watching him struggle against his chains as the black sand wrapped around his waist and chest.

"Look at them, Jack," Pitch cooed. "They're growing." And it was true. They were growing bigger by the second. When they had been as thin as pencils a couple seconds before, they were now as thick as a table leg. "I think it's your _fear_ that helps them grow." He grinned evilly as Jack looked at him with horror. One trailed itself down his arms. It slithered up his sweater-sleeve and trailed along his arm. he whimpered at the touch of the cold mist. It was colder than frost...and not in a good way. Jack never thought he could wish to be warm again so strongly. It wrapped around his forearm and tightened itself. He yelped; it was like being pierced by ice, the coldness sinking into him.

Jack cried out again as one curled around his throat, sinking into the wound that had been just been inflicted. Just then, a memory of a line from a poem flashed before his eyes.

_Ice burns as hot as fire._

And that's EXACTLY how it felt right now. He cried out and attempted to writhe away from the two, but they only latched on tighter. They were now as thick as North's leg, almost swallowing Jack up. "Your fear, Jack," Pitch reminded him.

_My fear..._All he had to do was try and calm down, to chase away those fears. _But how?_ He could...he could...think of something happy! That was it! They were just like dementors from Harry Potter; they could be chased away with happy thoughts. _Think. Think,_ he told himself. _What makes you happy? What makes me happy? _A picture of Tooth, blushing shyly at him, appeared before him. The sand started noticeably getting thinner. He let out a breath of relief, sagging in his chains.

"Oh dear. Now we can't have that, now can we?" Pitch said, amused. He lifted a finger and pointed it at Jack. A small trickle of blackness oozed out of it, slithering in midair before wrapping around Jack's head. The ice spirit didn't notice it until it was too late. It plunged into his ears, and Jack groaned, shuddering at the freezing touch.

Jack's image of Tooth started to twist, shape, take a different form. Her smile became a snarl. Her wings turned a dark, ugly back, like a coffee stain spreading on a beautiful painting. Her teeth grew longer and longer, until they turned into vampiristic fangs. Her arms and legs swelled, the feathers turning the darkest shade of black and gray. Her whole body started to morph grotesquely, shaping her into a monster-like creature. The amethyst eyes that Jack had fallen in love with turned darker and darker, until they were coal-black, with no pupils or whites. Just black. Jack stared in horror as he saw what she had become. All beauty and gracefulness was gone, leaving a cruel, evil, demonic being. It snarled as it turned to face him.

Jack screamed, flailing his arms and legs, but they were held back by the metal bounds. The evil Tooth let out a feral roar and leaped for him, long claws prodding from her fingers outstretched, ready to rip him to shreds. "Pitch, please stop!" he shrieked.

As soon as he said it, the scene fell away from his eyes, and he found himself back in the dungeon, Pitch watching him in amusement. "Took you long enough," the boogeyman told him, examining his nails. Jack groaned as he sagged in his chains, suddenly exhausted. "Oh come on, Jack, are you finished already?" he pouted. He lifted his hand, about to snap his fingers again.

"No, don't!" Jack shrieked, snapping his head up.

Pitch raised an eyebrow. "What's this I hear? Jack Frost begging for mercy?"

Jack glared at him. "I'll NEVER beg. And you'll regret this, Pitch. As soon as I'm free, I'll _destroy _you for this!"

"Is that so?" he replied nonchalantly, examining his nails. "Well, tell me when you get to that."

"Oh believe me, I will!" he growled.

Pitch grinned as he looked up at the boy. "_That's _what I want!" he exclaimed as he strode over to him and roughly took his face in his hand. He tried to duck out of the way, but he held him firmly as he looked him in the eye. "So much fire," he murmured as his eyes flickered over Jack's face. "And the funny part is, your name is Jack Frost. But that _fire _in you, you can't find in another being, human or spirit." He released him, and he hung his head. "I guess it's true what they say about birthday candles, though," Pitch said softly, turning around and walking towards the door. "When you try and blow them out, they keep on coming back, stronger." He paused and turned to face him. "But after taking your time, and taking a breath, they'll be so easily snuffed out that you'll wonder why it took you so long to get rid of it."

"You know, the other Guardians won't find me," Jack said boldly, lifting his head, a sudden burst of strength filling him. "You won't be able to get your hands on them!"

Pitch, to his surprise, chuckled at this. "And I'm glad. Because then-" he strode up and closed his finger around Jack's throat again, the pressure burning from the bruises from his previous strangulation, "-I get to spend an eternity with you," he whispered.

Jack's eyes widened. "_What?_"

He grinned evilly at him. "I would kiss you right now, but your lips are covered in blood," he murmured, drawing his fingers across them, ignoring Jack's wide-eye look of terror. Then he abruptly released him, and Jack sagged in his chains. That's when he noticed the tears running down his cheek. "Oh, don't cry," he mocked, catching one with his finger. "The worst has only just begun."

* * *

Baby Tooth, meanwhile, flew over to the Tooth Palace, unsure whether to tell Toot about what had happened to Jack, or to do what he said and not say anything.

She was about to go off to her nest to think when Tooth called her name. She stifled a groan, and turned around to face her. The fairy was looking awfully excited. "Baby Tooth, I was thinking that I should make something for Jack. You know, a little housewarming gift for him. And then I remembered that he sometimes has trouble sleeping-for some reason he likes to stay up all night and day- and then bam! It hit me! Why not a music box?"

The little fairy tilted her head to the side.

"I know, it sounds ridiculous," she admitted, "but I think that that would be great for him!"

She nodded, then pretended to yawn, hoping that Tooth would notice and allow her to go to her nest. It worked. "Oh, I'm sorry!" Tooth exclaimed. "I forgot how busy you guys have been. You go up to bed now, okay?" she gave her a little pat.

Baby Tooth nodded, then flew hurriedly to her nest. She decided that she wouldn't tell anyone until December, which was in a month.

This was going to be a long month.

* * *

You guys must be soooooo glad I didn't add any singing huh? :p

Oh well, please do review! :D


	5. Can't Take Me

Hey, you guys! I've actually had this story already done for a day or two now, but I was continuing on the story and forgot to post it. ._. Please forgive me. And I LOVE everybody's reviews. I never knew I was that good of a writer. *Giggles*

Hope you like this!

I own nothing.

* * *

Jack remembered all the times he would get frustrated with being alone and wanting to be seen by others. Of course, his current situation was nothing like that, being chained upside down in a spread-eagle position, all the blood rushing to his head and making him dizzy. His arms and legs were sore from their beating earlier- he wasn't sure how much time had passed- and blood was dripping on to the floor.

He supposed, though, that it could be worse. He could be held over a stove oven, just like David was in _A Child Called_ _It_. Jack would literally melt if that happened. _Or made to strip on a pole, _he thought. _And made to sing Justin Bieber. And wear a polka-dot strip dress. _To his surprise, he chuckled at the thought. He didn't think that his throat would allow him, from the slash that Pitch had delivered earlier. It felt good to laugh. He relaxed in his bonds, though he still felt mildly uncomfortable being upside down.

A pinch in one of his arms made him wince. The whipping that he had received made him ache all over, not to mention the slapping that Pitch felt to address to his face. Jack was sure there was still a handprint on both sides of his face. Not to mention they itched. He had already tried to wiggle around, making the air do the scratching for him, but with no luck.

He sighed. _Well, while I'm stuck here, I might as well try and figure out a way to get out of here. _He craned his neck and tried to get a better look of his surroundings. It was a rather large room to hold just one prisoner. Jack suddenly spotted a separate pair of manacles against the wall adjacent to him. But they looked shiny and polished; almost brand new. "Weird," he murmured. Then he glanced up higher, looking at the corners made from the wall meeting the ceiling, hoping to find a window or some type of opening that he could escape from. But besides the manacles and chains, the walls were bare. _Okay, maybe something to get me out of these chains. _

But just like the walls, the room was empty. Except for the thick layer of dust hidden in the crevices and the blood dripping down from his own body, there was nothing solid or stable that he could use. At least, none that he could see.

Just then, Pitch strolled into Jack's dungeon room loftily. "Hello, Jack. How are you?"

Jack looked up at him and bared his teeth. "Hello, bastard. Had fun in hell while you were gone?" he mocked.

Without missing a beat in his step he leaned over and smacked Jack across the face, the dull burn in his face now multiplied. "Now was that really necessary?" he asked as he turned his back to him.

"Depends. Was chaining me upside down and stabbing and whipping me necessary?" he shot back.

He whirled around and socked him in the stomach. His abdominal muscles recoiled on himself, and he wheezed. "Yes, actually, it was," Pitch replied calmly, shaking his fist. "But I know that you would never understand my intentions, so I say, 'Why bother?'. You didn't even understand at Antarctica," Pitch said almost sadly.

Jack frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"Remember my offer, for you to join me?"

"Yes. Then you kidnapped Baby Tooth, broke my staff, and left me to die," he spat.

"That was your own choice. But Jack, we could have been great together! We would have ruled the world!" Pitch cried.

"I wanted to be seen! I didn't want to be feared!" Jack shouted. He felt a cold chill run up his back. "Wait, is _that _what this is about?"

"It's about a number of things, Jack, but like I said, you wouldn't understand," Pitch sneered.

Jack rolled his eyes. "Are you _always_ this dramatic? Maybe you should have joined a play or something instead of torturing me. _Pitch Black: The King of Nightmares. _Actually has a nice ring to it when you think about it," Jack added. He was stalling, doing anything he could to make Pitch, however temporarily, forget why he was in there._  
_

"It actually does," Pitch agreed, stroking his chin. "Perhaps I'll do that. But until then-" Something slid out of his robe sleeve. Jack stared at the long metal stick in his hand with a flat, round end. "-I think it would be best if we remind ourselves who is in charge around here."

"Um." Jack swallowed hard. "What's that?"

"This? Oh, you wouldn't recognize this. I don't think it snows around cattle," Pitch said slyly.

"Actually, in Peru and in the Midwest it does and-wait, why cattle?" he demanded.

"Because this-" Pitch held up the round end, which was red with heat with an insignia on it "- is a branding stick."

Jack's eyes widened. "You're not serious."

"Oh Jack, when will you realize that I am _very _serious about these types of things?" He grinned at him, his black, long, irregular teeth showing at him. He almost seemed to glide over to Jack, who had been to twist and turn in his chains. "Stay still!" Pitch hissed as he grabbed Jack by the neck. He winced, but stopped moving.

"Please don't," he pleaded.

"No can do." Pitch lifted up the front of his ripped sweater and shirt to reveal pale skin criss-crossed with lash-marks. He frowned. "There's barely any skin left," he complained as he search for a place to brand Jack. He whimpered and closed his eyes, trying to imagine he was in a better place. "There!" he exclaimed.

Suddenly, a bright hot burst of pain flared on the front of his chest, and he screamed. Pitch grinned as he pressed the branding iron harder on to his skin. Jack screamed even louder, thrashing around. "It'll only hurt more Jack!" he shouted over his screams. "So I suggest you stop moving!" When he didn't stop, though, Pitch sighed and removed the branding iron. Jack's screams faded to a low moan. "Aww...Look who's being dramatic now," he jeered, waving the iron in his face.

"You are one sick, twisted bastard," Jack breathed.

Pitch smacked him him across the face without blinking an eye. "You should learn to keep your temper, Jack," he warned. "It might get you in trouble one day." He paused, then stepped back to examine his handiwork. "It came out really well," he said, impressed, then looked at Jack. "Do you know what it says?"

"No," he groaned.

"It says, 'The Most Beautiful Dream Is Coming Out Of A Nightmare'," he told him, letting his sweater drop. "Do you see me like this, Jack?" he asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Hmm..." He stepped away from Jack and began to pace the room, hands folded behind his back. "Say you just woke up from a horrendous nightmare. You see all the people you love dead. Your worst fear. And then you wake up. You see, there is no greater relief from waking up from a nightmare and seeing reality, no matter how miserable your life is. Do you see me like this?" he repeated.

"I-I don't understand."

"Perhaps I wasn't clear enough," he mused, stroking his chin with his free hand. "Okay. Say I am the horrendous nightmare you just had. And the real nightmares are your reality. Do you feel this way about me?"

"No."

That brought Pitch up short. "What?"

"I said no."

He turned to face Jack, surprise obvious on his face. "And why the devil not?" he demanded.

Jack lifted his chin and boldly met his eyes. "Because I'm not afraid you."

Pitch blinked at him, at a clear loss for words. Then a smile, a cruel, evil imitation of a smile, crept on to his face. He spun on one foot and marched up to Jack, who tensed up, thinking that he was going to smack him across the face again. But instead, he bent over and cupped Jack's face in his long, nimble fingers, and forced his head up so that they were eye-to-eye. "Don't worry about that, Jack. Because soon you will. You may not think so, but you will. And soon I'll have you running back to your nightmares after I'm done with you. But then, you won't be able to do even that. I'll be there, too. Underneath that snow-white hair of yours. And I will _love _watching those pretty blue eyes fill up with terror every time you see me." His smile slid away as he tilted Jack's face, examining his face as if it was a portrait. "If they're still even blue," he added, slipping his fingers away from his face and standing up straight.

Jack felt chills go up and down his back. "What do you mean?"

"Oh, you'll see," Pitch called over his shoulder as he turned around and slammed the door behind him.

"Pitch!" he roared, even though he knew that he wouldn't have a reply back. He sighed, and sagged in his chains again. _Back to square one again. _He glanced around the room, trying to see if Pitch had left anything behind. But like before, the dungeon was left empty and bare. He sighed again, and swayed from side to side, bored. _What to do, what to do, _he mused.

Well, hopefully Pitch wouldn't mind him singing. A bit singing always cheered him up. Or did his mother tell him that once? Either way, it always did. And now...well, he really needed this song. "Gotta fight another-" His voice cracked. He swallowed hard, then tried again.

"_Gotta fight another fight.  
Gotta run another night.  
Get it out and check it out.  
I'm on my way and it don't feel right!_"

Jack sighed and closed his eyes, trying to remember the rest of the song. It had been ages since he had listened to the album.

"_I've gotta get me back.  
I can't be beat and that's a fact._"

He grinned at the last line.

"_It's okay. I'll find a way.  
Ain't gonna take me down no way..._"

"_Don't judge a thing  
U__ntil you know what's inside it.  
Don't push me;  
I'll fight it.  
Never gonna give in,  
Never gonna give it up, no."__  
_

"_If you can't catch a wave,  
Then you're never gonna ride it.  
You can't come uninvited.  
Never gonna give in,  
Never gonna give it up, no._"

"_You can't take me.  
I'm free._"

Jack hesitated for a few seconds, knowing that he would truly mean the next few lines, and continued,

"_Where did it all go wrong?  
I gotta know what's going on.  
What's this holding me?_"

He gritted his teeth and yanked at his chains.

"_I'm not where I'm supposed to be!  
I gotta fight another fight.  
I gotta fight with all my might.  
I'm getting out, so check it out._"

Before he could begin the next verse, there was a loud banging against the chamber door that made him jump. "Can you stop that atrocious singing?" Pitch yelled through the door. "You may be a fantastic Bryan Adams singer, but I would rather hear you screaming out loud in terror! Not some song about _hope _and _not giving up! _So will you _please _just shut your trap?"

Jack stuck his tongue out like a child, even though he knew that Pitch couldn't see it, and rolled his eyes. "Maybe if you listened to Bryan Adams more you wouldn't be so grumpy all the time!" he called.

"Don't make me come in there!" Pitch growled.

He rolled his eyes, but didn't say anything else, not eager to have another whipping or branding. But for the first time since he had been captured by Pitch, he felt a small glimmer of hope in his chest. Even though there was absolutely nothing that Jack could do to get himself out of the dungeon in that moment in time, he knew that he would have his chance.

_Soon, _he thought.

_Soon._

* * *

__I just had to put that in there. Please forgive me for the random placement of the song.

Please review.


	6. Losing Faith

How long has it been since I've updated? A week? I'm sorry, I know that you guys must be angry at me. But basketball practice is taking a lot out of my time. But do not worry, I will not fail this story yet! I hope you enjoy!

* * *

Jack mindlessly picked at the scraps of his clothes that still managed to cling together in tattered pieces on him as he sat in the corner of his chamber. His sweater was stained crimson and looked as if it had been through a paper shredder. While his pants weren't as colorful, they were just as torn and ripped. He tried to ignore the sharp pains that flared whenever he shifted his weight or lifted his arm. The metal manacles around his wrists and ankles had rubbed his skin raw, the areas numb and swollen. His skin wasn't as white as snow anymore. You couldn't see any unblemished skin for bruises or slashes on his thin body. He had always been so, but when it had made him look attractively lanky, now he looked sickly and ill. Already dark circles were becoming pronounced under his eyes, not being able to sleep, afraid that nightmares would greet him.

It must have been over two days since Pitch had captured Jack. He couldn't see the sky to tell the time nor were there a clock to see, but he knew that he had been in there too long for his own good. If he was honest with himself, he was starting to lose hope. Especially with the sore, aching pains that welcomed him after each whipping or stabbing or branding. Pitch kept those for special moments. Jack was pretty sure it was at midnight, but once again, he didn't know.

After a while Jack was able to figure out the schedule: black smoke would come and plunge him into a torrent of nightmares, then he would be pulled out just in time for Pitch to begin his torture on him with the stabbing and whipping. His new favorite thing was to strangle him while burning one of his body parts, and enjoy watching him struggle for air to scream. Then he would leave Jack alone to fully feel his pain for about an hour, then the nightmares would come back and the cycle would begin.

But Jack refused to be beaten. Before, he had hurled insults whenever the boogeyman walked into his cell. But now, he realized that the less he said, the quicker the torture would be over. But he still glared at Pitch with as much hatred as he could put into his eyes. But he knew that Pitch, no matter what, still held the upper hand over him. And there was no greater pain than that.

Suddenly, he heard the sound of something slippery sliding over the ground. He glanced up and saw a black mist rolling in from underneath his chamber doors. "There you guys are," he said as calmly as he could manage, trying to forget that they brought fear and terror that pierced his very heart each time they met. "What took you so long?"

They wrapped themselves around his legs, sliding up his torso and twining themselves around his neck. He winced as they went over the gash across his neck that had only just begun to scab, the mists sending shivers down his back. He held his breath as he felt himself be plunged into the nightmare.

They were bad enough, flashes of people he cared deeply being killed before his very eyes, them calling out for him to help them, but he was always unable to move. But they were always new, each one different from the last, no similarity between them at all. That was the worst part. He could have gotten used to it after seeing the same thing over and over again, but each time a new horror would be dealt to him. Then there were times when HE was the one that was killing. He shuddered. Those were the worst.

Perhaps the nightmares sensed this, because after the next twenty minutes he was panting and whimpering after seeing himself deliberately push his little sister into the lake instead of saving her, stabbing Tooth over and over again, her blood staining her delicate wings…He curled up into a ball and covered his head with his arms, ignoring the sharp jolt of pain as he accidentally banged one of his wounds against his head.

"That's my favorite one." Jack didn't have to look up to know it was Pitch. "I love the ruthlessness in you," Pitch continued, "when you just _grabbed _the knife and just stabbed her."

"That wasn't me," Jack growled, refusing to look.

"Of course it's you! Why else would you see it? One of your worst fears," he whispered, as he bent down to his ear, "Is it that your affection for the little fairy will hurt her, in some kind of way? And it'll be all your fault?"

His words sent a chill down his back. "I will NEVER hurt Tooth!" he yelled at the boogeyman.

"Ah, that might be the case, but that doesn't mean you're not afraid to," he reminded him, drawing a long finger down his back. "Odd. I never knew that Jack Frost could get cold," he remarked as goosebumps followed his finger.

"Just get it over with, Pitch," he spat through his teeth.

"As much as I want to, I can't," he sighed, standing up. "Apparently, even though you, like me, are immortal, your wounds are too serious for me to do anything more to you today."

_Thank the Moon, _Jack thought. He supposed he was pretty bad; the skin that wasn't torn up or bloodied or gashed through was bruised black and purple, which looked strange on his startling pale skin, which had gotten even paler, which seemed impossible until now.

"So then what are you gonna do?" Jack rasped.

"Well, I think I song would be in order here."

Jack put his arms down to stare disbelievingly at Pitch. "A song?" he repeated.

"Yes, a song," he answered. "After our little, er, _disagreement_ last night, I decided to take your advice and try and let my soul out with a bit of singing."

"You're crazy," Jack said without thinking.

Pitch glanced down at Jack. Then, in a blink of an eye, he bent down and slashed a knife that he always had hidden in his cloak against his face. He cried out and curled up into a ball, covering his face with his arms. "Your temper, Jack. We really need to work on this. I believe you are familiar with the Hunchback of Notre Dame? Disney's 1997 version?" he asked, standing up straight and brushing Jack's blood off of his robes.

"Uh, yeah, I guess so," he said uneasily, then, even though he would probably regret it, jeered, "What? Going to yell into the fireplace about how much you lust for me and would rather kill yourself and blame it on me than admit than you've sinned?"

Pitch glanced at Jack. Suddenly, the boy arched his back, his mouth open in a silent scream. It was pain, agony, fury, all wielded inside of him. It was like being burned alive while being sawed in half, Mike Tyson punching his inside mercilessly. No, wait. That would be less painful. He would take that any day. Anything than this. Then, just like that, it was gone.

Jack stared at the ground, panting heavily. "Actually, I was hoping to counteract that lovely song that you were singing on the lake," Pitch corrected, unfazed by Jack's performance.

"But that _is_ 'Hellfire'," he croaked, confused.

Pitch frowned. "It is?"

"I can't believe we're talking about this," Jack groaned, laying his head back on the ground and closing his eyes.

Suddenly, he snapped his fingers. Jack tensed up, afraid that he had decided to perform his torture after all. "It was 'Out There'!" he exclaimed.

Jack sagged in relief.

Pitch glared at the chained up boy. "I'm expecting you to play the part of Quasimodo," he snapped.

"Okay," Jack whispered, though he wasn't sure that he could sing from all the screaming he had been doing. Pitch cleared his throat, then started to pace the room as he began in a deep, somber voice,

"_The world is cruel._

_The world is wicked.  
It's I alone whom you can trust in this whole city!  
I am your only friend….._"

He pointed a long, cruel finger at Jack.

"_I who keep you, teach you, feed you, dress you!  
I who look upon you without fear…..  
How can I protect you, boy, unless you  
Always stay in here?  
Away in here….."_

He bent down and lifted Jack's face so he could look into his eyes. "Remember what I taught you, Jack," he said softly as he let him go,

"_You are deformed."_

"I am deformed," Jack whispered.

_"And you are ugly."_

"And I am ugly," he sighed.

"_And these are crimes  
For which the world  
Shows little pity!  
You do not comprehend—!"_

"You are my one defender," Jack rasped, laying his head back on the ground. There was a dry patch on his tongue. He longed for a cup of Tooth's herbal SleepyTime tea. His heart ached at the thought of the Tooth Fairy. She would have been horrified to see him like this. _Or...would she? _The thought snuck into his mind. He immediately repressed the thought, but it bubbled back up, floating in to his mind, poisoning his thoughts.

_"Out there they'll revile you  
As a monster….."_

"I am a monster," he repeated. That's what the Guardians thought of him. They thought he was a no-good, mischief-making boy who did nothing but get in the way of them bringing joy for children.

_"Out there they will hate  
And scorn and jeer…."_

"Only a monster," he whispered. He _was _a monster, he realized. He created snow storms and blizzards the people got lost in, died in! He had even almost killed Jamie with the sledding accident! Pitch smiled in his sinister way, knowing that he had hit a nerve.

_"Why invite their calumny  
And consternation?  
Stay in here!  
Be faithful to me—"  
"I'm faithful_," Jack whispered._  
"Grateful to me—"  
"I'm grateful."  
"Do as I say,  
Obey….."_

"And stay in here," Pitch instructed, as Jack whispered at the same time, "I'll stay in here…."

"See, Jack? Look how much _fun _we can have if you behave," he cooed, running his fingers on Jack's hair, which was too tangled to be combed through.

Jack didn't reply. His heart was breaking as he realized that he was all alone in the world, that people viewed him just like they viewed Quasimodo: a monster. No wonder Bunny hated him so much, and Tooth didn't feel the same way about him, why it was so hard for the other Guardians to accept him.

He curled into a ball as soon as Pitch left the room. Tears burned in the back of his eyes, threatening to spill over. _Remember, Quasimodo. This is your sanctuary. _The line from The Hunchback of Notre Dame fluttered in his mind. _Quasimodo, _he thought, _didn't belong in there. He was a hero. People accepted him and loved him as soon as he got the chance. But me..._He squeezed his eyes tight, trying to ignore the hot tears running down my face. _This is my sanctuary. I deserve this. _

He didn't know that that wasn't in the least true, that the other Guardians did love and accept him. But he also didn't know that Pitch, master of planting ideas that sparked fear into one's heart, had put the idea in his mind to begin with. And the more Jack thought about it, the more he believed it.

Pitch smiled when he heard the boy's sobs. He strode down the hallway to where his favorite Nightmare was waiting for him. "We're so close to breaking him," he whispered to it. "I can feel it."

* * *

"Jack better hurry up, it's about to start," Bunny grumbled, crossing his arms in his seat. Karaoke Night was about to start. He turned to Tooth. "Do you know what's taking him so long, mate?"

"I don't know where he is," she confessed. "And he seemed awfully excited to come to tonight's karaoke." She glanced at him. "Has he told you anything?"

He shook his head. "I haven't seen him in over a week."

"Me, in two," North confirmed.

"I saw him on Sunday," Tooth said. She didn't notice that Baby Tooth was shuffling uncomfortably in midair. Then again, the Fairy Queen didn't notice much about her shifty companion. "He said he had a new song that he had just heard on the radio that he wanted to sing for us."

"With all of the time that boy's been practicing on the concert I'm surprised he had time," he snorted.

"He'd better hurry," North muttered. "I have new song that is going to blow socks off of feet!"

"That's nice, North," Tooth said.

Sandy tapped his piano impatiently.

"I don't know what's keeping him," she murmured as she looked behind him for the tenth time, hoping that Jack would walk through the door. But, just like before, she was disappointed.

"Maybe he's practicing on that block he had," Bunny suggested.

"Maybe," Tooth agreed, though something told her it wasn't. "Or he's working on that new house?"

"The chap finally got a home? 'Bout time!"

"Yeah, it looks really nice. But I think he started on it recently, because he had just finished the windows," she recalled.

"Maybe we should get Jack new furniture and upholstery items," Santa whispered.

"Can we stick to focusing about Karaoke Night?" Bunny asked testily.

"Well, we cannot start without Jack!" North exclaimed. "He will be upset!"

"Come on! The bloke will probably pretend he's been here the whole time if he comes in late!" Bunny protested.

"Bunny's right, North. The yetis are getting restless," Tooth pointed out, though she wanted to continue waiting for Jack. Her worry for him was easily seen in her eyes, the violet irises turning darker. If she was true with herself, she knew that, deep in her gut, that he wasn't at his house. Nor was he in any place that was safe. That he was in somewhere dark and cold, and anything but safe.

North glared at the two of them. "Fine, but if Jack comes and sees that the show has started, I blame you!" he growled. Bunny shrugged, muttering that he didn't care, but everyone could hear the slight tremor in his voice that showed that he was worried, too.

The show started, and North went up first, singing an old song from the village he had come from before he was a Guardian. Jack didn't arrive. Then Bunnymund, who sung 'Down Under' by Men At Work. Still no Jack. Then when Toothiana went up, singing 'Good Enough', and when Jack still didn't come, which surprised everybody, they finally had to accept that he wasn't going to come.

Sandy, who had prepared his own song just for him, refused to go on, no matter how much North had pleaded. He had simply stood there with his little arms crossed in front of big North and shook his head, a sandy picture of Jack leaning against his staff above his head. Of course, the sign wasn't necessary. But he still felt the need to show why he wouldn't- no, why he _couldn't _play. Even though they had played one song at Karaoke Night, and performed the other songs that were for the Winter Concert, but the sandman had felt a musical connection with the ice spirit. He couldn't quite explain it- probably because he was mute- but he felt that he could whip out any song, and if Jack couldn't sing to it, he would pull out his own guitar and they would make a _fantastic _duet together.

"I thought he was going to show when you went up," Bunny admitted when the three Guardians began to leave, disappointed by Jack's no-show.

Tooth glanced up at him in surprised. "Why would you say that?"

He shrugged. "He fancies you."

Her face turned red at the memory of what happened five days ago. Him singing as he skated across the lake, thinking that no one loved him, as he professed his love for her.

Bunny noticed her embarrassed face. "What's wrong?"

"Hmm? Oh, nothing."

Sandy flashed a picture of her and Jack sitting inside of a heart holding hands, and grinned.

"Shut up, Sandy!" she hissed.

Bunny frowned. "What? What was that?" he demanded, stopping her and putting his paws on his hips.

"Nothing. Jack and I were, uh, having a heated discussion, and then Jack kind of tackled me, and well…." She rubbed her feather arm nervously. "Sandy kind of walked in on us."

"Wait, what do you mean 'kind of'? And what happened, Sandy?" he asked the sandman.

He flashed a picture of Jack on top of Tooth. Bunny's eyes widened. "We weren't doing anything!" she said hurriedly. "He just tackled me and I was trying to get up and that's when Sandy came!"

The sandman rolled his eyes, but, being mute, was unable to say anything else. Bunny raised a furry eyebrow at Tooth. "I swear, that's all that happened!" she exclaimed.

"Fine," was all he said.

There was an awkward silence between the three Guardians, who were rubbing their shoulders and trying not to meet each other's eyes. "Well, I guess I better get going," Tooth said awkwardly, then flew away with Baby Tooth.

Bunny looked down at Sandy. "Do you think she fancies him?" he asked.

Sandy shrugged.

Baby Tooth didn't follow Tooth to the palace, though. It had been over a week, and there had been no sign from Jack. She had been worried sick, and was close to breaking her promise and telling Tooth what happened. But first, she would go and see what had happened.

She flew away from her queen and towards Burgess. She prayed he was alright.

* * *

Oh Tooth, why are you always so optimistic? I mean, especially after what's going to him in the next chapter. ;) Please stay tuned for more!

Reviews would be nice.


	7. Taken

WARNING: This chapter will be very short. :D And what else did I want to say? There was something else...oh yeah! Um, there MIGHT be a bit of noncon in this chapter. a.k.a.: RAPE.

._. I'm sorry.

But anyway, this is my first sex scene/rape, so please don't hate me.

I own nothing.

* * *

Jack awoke the sound of his cell door being swung open. "You know, Jack, you gave me the most marvelous idea yesterday," Pitch announced as he strode inside.

He yawned and propped himself up. His whole body felt numb, and the parts he could feel, sore and bruised, though he knew it was much worse than that. Jack wasn't sure if it was a good or bad thing that his wounds were numb. Maybe afterwards, if he had escaped and had things to heal himself with, but now, he was just grateful.

"And what would that be?" he groaned, rubbing one eye sleepily with one hand, trying to use the spot that wasn't covered with scabs.

Pitch's hand shot out and closed around his throat and slammed him against the ground, something he was all-too used to. He winced at the pain of the fingers pressing hard against the bruises and the throbbing his head, and waited for Pitch to pin him up against the wall, but it never came. That could only mean that he was preparing for something else.

"That little…outburst you had," Pitch whispered as he slithered over Jack's frail body.

"Which one?" he grunted. "The one about when you should kill yourself?" Even though Jack's spirit was battered, his pride refused to let him seem broken.

He waited for Pitch to slap him or choke him, but once again, he did neither. Jack sensed something different the boogeyman's air. There was almost a...a _darkness _surrounding him. Or, at least, darker than usual. _No, it was a different type of darkness, _he thought. _It's almost...sinfully dark._ As he puzzled about it, he felt the chains holding his arms and legs being pulled, so that he had to give up his form of lying on his side in a ball for being on his back, put in a spread-eagle position under Pitch. He squirmed underneath him, but he didn't really try to move. It was useless anyway.

Pitch smirked. "I believe it was the one about me yelling to a fireplace about my lust for you," he breathed in his ear. Jack flinched, his breath hot against his skin. "And it made me realize something," he continued as his free hand laid itself on Jack's stomach, which recoiled at the touch.

His blue eyes widened. "Please," he croaked, realizing what Pitch planned to do. "No."

"Yes," Pitch hissed, his hand slipping down into Jack's pants. His fingers fondled Jack's sensitive area, making him cry out, more in pain than anything. He was not gentle at all, squeezing on his manhood and digging his sharp fingernails into his balls. It _hurt._ Not to mention was strange and alien-like, filling him with a sort of horror that he hadn't really experienced before. Not to mention he was _cold. _He tried to twist his hips out of his grip, but Pitch pinned him down with his elbow. "I've been wanting to do this for a long time, Jack…," he sighed, sliding his hand out of his pants.

"No please stop!" Jack cried, bucking his hips and trying to fight his way out of his grip, but it was useless.

He chuckled. "Oh Jack, when will you find out that I feed off of your terror?" he cooed as he drew his pinky finger along his face. It sent chills up and down his face, and Jack supressed a shiver. He didn't want him to see him trembling in terror; he already had the satisfaction of hearing him plead like a baby.

_Plead like a baby..._

What would Emma think if she saw him like this? Being touched against his will, strapped down? _Fight him, Jack! _she would cry. _Fight him! _

Jack's heart thumped loudly in his chest, almost bursting out. "LET ME GO!" he shouted, a burst of energy pulsing through him.

Pitch raised an eyebrow. "I thought we had already dealt with that attitude, Jack," he sighed, drawing his fist back before driving it into him. Jack doubled over, wheezing as Pitch continued to touch Jack's broken body with delight. They danced around the deep cuts and pressed against his bruises almost in fascination, like a child with a new toy. Jack screamed as he dug one finger into the huge gash on his chest that he had received on his first day. The pain seared through his body, sending white-hot fire up and down his spine. Pitch removed his finger and held it up to his face, studying it, before popping it into his mouth and sucking on it like it was a Popsicle. Then he resumed his touching of his body.

"Shame, I should have done this first," he said as his fingers lingered on one of the bruises on his chest. "Your skin is so soft and pretty." He bent his head down and gently pressed his lips on it. Jack whimpered. _Man in Moon, please help me, _he though desperately. _Please make him stop. Make him do stop. Make him do anything. Anything but this. _But nothing happened. Only the sharp sting in his side as Pitch pinched around the skin of one of his slashes._  
_

"Please, stop," he begged as the boogeyman continued to trail cruel imitations of kisses along his chest and arms.

"No can do, Jack," he breathed in delight as he stood up. In one fluid motion he had his robe in a pile on the ground next to him. "Don't be afraid," he whispered as he pulled down Jack's pants and prepared to enter him. Jack closed his eyes and prayed that it would be over soon. "Be _terrified._"

Those were the last word he said before he entered him.

* * *

Pain.

No, it wasn't pain. It wasn't enough.

Agony?

No, no, that wasn't it either.

Then what was it that made Jack let out a blood-curdling cry that shook the dungeon room and arch his back so much to the point that it might break and plead for it to end? To make him cry and sob, getting his tears everywhere as Pitch cut of the ribbons of skin that still remained on his body? That made his toes curl and Pitch whoop in delight as he pressed himself into the boy whose body was frail enough? That final push as he released himself into Jack?

Of course, Pitch hadn't stopped there. He pulled himself out of Jack and looked down at the frail boy, who was panting and wincing. "You're pathetic," he spat. When Jack didn't reply, he snarled and grabbed Jack by the hair and lifted him clean off the floor. He screeched as he felt the sharp prickles of pain in his scalp as his hair was almost torn out. Pitch slammed Jack against the wall face-first as he curled his free hand around Jack's wrists and pinned them above his head. "You're worthless," he hissed as he pressed his length against his hole.

Jack cried out, trying to speak through the tear streaks down his face and the pain everywhere. "What, would the little boy like to speak?" Pitch snarled, forcing his head to look at him. He yanked his head up so that he could stare down into his red tear-streaked eyes. "You worthless, useless piece of shit," he sneered, then slammed his head against the wall again.

The same stars that had blinking before his eyes for days finally bled into his real-life vision. They blinked everywhere, flickering, just like in the night sky. He tried to focus on them, trying to ignore the aching pain all over. _Man in Moon, please, _he pleaded in his mind as Pitch pushed into him. "Fuck, how did you get that tight already?" he grunted, barely audible over Jack's screams. _Please help..._

But no help came.

Jack couldn't find the words. He couldn't even form the thoughts. He was too busy sweating, his throat sore from screaming, his body aching from the slashes that Pitch had found necessary to create while he was raping him, the burn in his rectum from the amount of force Pitch had entered himself with. Of course, the pain had lessened after he had begun to bleed, making his thrusts less painful.

But it didn't help with the fact that, all in all, Pitch had taken _everything _from him. Even something Jack thought that no one else could have. And even that was gone.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, Pitch pulled out Jack and threw him to the ground. He didn't say anything; he just curled up into a ball, tear-streaks running silently down his face. "Like I said before," Pitch said as he picked up his bundle of clothing, "worthless." He fed the idea as he got dressed, watching the bloody and traumatized spirit on the ground.

"That was quite fun, Jack," Pitch chuckled as he buttoned up his robe, glancing at the boy. He laid on his side, closing his eyes, trying to shut the pain and horror out. He burned everywhere. The blood seeped on to the floor, pooling around him. He could feel it trickle from down his sides and even out of his backside. He didn't even try and wipe it up with his rags, like he done before now, to keep the blood from drying. "We should do this again some time."

He didn't answer, which was just the way Pitch wanted it.

Pitch leaned over and gently kissed his temple. He flinched at the touch. "Goodnight, Jack," he chuckled as he closed the cell door behind him.

Jack didn't say anything.

He laid there for what seemed like forever. He didn't know what to do. What could you do after being brutally raped and chained up like an animal? Unable to call for help or reverse what had just happened? Jack wasn't even sure he could ask for help if he got out now. _How am I supposed to look up at the others in the eye, _he thought, _and tell them that I was raped? _He already knew the answer to that, though.

He couldn't.

Suddenly, Jack heard a squeak. His eyes flicked up, and focused on a fairy that was hovering anxiously at the ceiling. "Baby Tooth," he rasped, some life sparking back into him as he raised his head just above the ground. He groaned at the sharp twinges in his side, and propped himself up on his elbow, which still hurt, but not as much. "What are you doing here? How did you get in here?"

She squeaked as she pointed at a small hole in the wall. "It leads out of here?" she nodded, then chirped something else, gesturing her little arms as she talked so that he could understand her "It's big enough for me to crawl through if I break the wall?" he asked, then shook his head before laying it back down. "I don't think I can."

The fairy shook her head and pulled at his fingers, trying to get him up. "No, Baby Tooth—" he tried to say, but it came out in a gasp. "Baby Tooth, stop." She continued to pull insistently at his fingers. "Baby Tooth, I _can't_!" he cried, snatching his fingers away and holding it close to his chest.

She frowned, then got a good look at him. A _really _good look. She couldn't see skin for all of the gashes and dried blood on him. His face was barely spared, save for the three lash marks across one of his cheeks and a few dagger marks. His clothes laid in ribbons around him, his blue hoodie now dark red. She ran her fingers along it, then jumped back in horror when she realized the dried crimson crust was blood.

"Baby Tooth, just get out of here," he whispered. "I don't want—" he was interrupted by a cough that wracked his whole body. Blood flew out of his mouth, landing in little drops on the cell floor. "I don't want you to be captured, too," he said finally when he had finished.

Her eyes filled with tears. "Go," he breathed. "And no matter what, don't tell the other Guardians what's happening. Pitch will-" another hard cough that resulted in more blood splatters. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, then continued, "Pitch will hurt them. He might even kill them." He hesitated, then added, "And they won't understand. I don't want to be judged again for something that wasn't my fault like at Easter. They'll...they'll treat me like someone who can't...can't take care of themselves. That I'm weak. That I should have been able to protect myself."

Baby Tooth shook her head. It had been wrong of her to have kept his secret for so long; now he was laying the floor of a dirty dungeon bleeding to death. She had to get him out **_now_**."Baby Tooth, _please,_" he begged She hesitated, then nodded and gave him a quick peck on the cheek that was untouched. He closed his eyes at the gentle gesture. Tooth had done the very same thing the night he was taken. What would she say if she found out? _She won't, _he thought firmly.

Baby Tooth gave him a little pat on the cheek, then flew out of the dungeon. Jack sighed, and closed his eyes, hoping that sleep would bring him some comfort.


	8. Just a Quick Note

_**This is not a chapter.**_

I was curious to know if you guys would like another ToothxJack chapter story that isn't as dark as Karaoke Night.

You know, to help counteract the affects of reading this one.

I kind of already have an idea, and it involves Cupid and a very jealous tooth fairy. ;)

so what do you guys say?


	9. Dark And Cold

Well, sorry if this chapter seems rushed and short, basketball is wearing me out. But I thought that the sooner I get this story moving, the sooner I can get past all of the scary parts. And I'm still trying to figure out if I should write another story.

Warning: Rape

I own nothing

* * *

Jack was curled up, shivering, in the middle of the dungeon. He didn't know where the cold was coming from, there being no windows or air vents, and it certainly couldn't of been himself. He hadn't felt cold in decades. Then again, he had been feeling the cold so much more often these past few days. _And now I'm shivering, _he thought. _Jack Frost wouldn't be shivering. _

He winced as he shifted himself on the ground, the burn in his bottom flaring again. It had been like that ever since...He tried not to think about it. It would only cause more pain, if that was even possible. But the memories came flooding back, filling his mind. The cold floor suddenly seemed like it was on fire. Everything seemed like it was on fire, then. Everything. He squeezed his eyes closed, trying to prevent the tears from spilling from behind of his eyes. He couldn't afford to be like this, weak and crying. He had to brave it through until the very end, until he and Baby Tooth came up with a way to get out.

Thinking about the small fairy led his thoughts to Tooth. He felt his tense body relax. Thinking about her always made him more calm. Not when it counted, of course, but it still helped in small moments like these. Behind his eyelids, he pictured her. Laughing. Grinning. Her feathers ruffled up in excitement as she obsessed over his teeth. If his voice hadn't been so raw, he would have begun to laugh. Laughter would have done him some good. But the second he moved his jaw, he clamped it shut as a sharp pain reminded him of his injuries. The pain sent a chain-reaction through his body, lingering in the cuts and burns o his chest, and more so in his bottom. The same injuries that prevented him from getting out of there.

A single tear rolled down his cheek as he opened his eyes. If Jack was honest with himself- and he hadn't been for a while- he was highly doubtful that he was going to get out of Pitch's lair alive, if at all. He wasn't chained up anymore, but he was too weak to even crawl from one end of the room to the other. Baby Tooth had told him that she had found a hole that was blocked by a thin wall that could be easily knocked down with a shoulder to it once or twice. But he couldn't even lift himself off the ground. Every single part of him ached and twinged, every breath mixed in with a wince of pain.

His knuckles whitened as he curled his hands into hard fists, then released them, watching the fingers uncurl themselves, since he couldn't feel them do it. The tips of his fingers and the palms had been numb for a few days now, so that when he pressed them against the floor in an attempt to get up in the past, he couldn't feel anything until his wrists and ankles screamed out in protest.

Pain. Screams. They were his best friends now. Constantly with him, even in the stillest of moments. Even when he fell asleep. Pitch's nightmare sand had found a way to poison his mind, so that they would infect him with his worst fears even when they weren't in him. And even more terrifying, Pitch was now in every single one of them. He had fulfilled his promise: he was _everywhere_, now. Inside and out. The thought sent shivers up his back. Jack had to fight it. He couldn't let Pitch win.

But the aching sores quickly brought him down. _Who am I kidding? I can't even stand, _he thought. _I can't fight, I don't have my staff. There's no way to escape. I'm gonna die here. Why should I even bother trying to pretend that I have a chance against him? There's no point in trying to win. _He bowed his head into his chest. _He's already won._

* * *

"Already, ladies, I'm gonna tuck in," Tooth yawned as she stretched in midair to several fairies hovering by her. Baby Tooth wasn't among them, to her surprise, but she figured that she was out collecting teeth. Besides, she didn't feel like having to worry about anything for a while. After having collected over a thousand teeth and placing them all back in the Tooth Palace, she was exhausted. _How did I do this before? _she wondered. Then she shook off the yawn and said to the nearest fairy, "I want you to keep an eye on all of the teeth in Turkey on Whipple Road. I just heard that they had an excess amount of candy over there and I don't want to hear about getting cavities."

The fairy nodded before flying off with the four others she was surrounded by, disappearing into the cloud of tooth fairies of the castle. Tooth yawned again before flying upwards, towards her room. Her room was at the top of the tallest tower. No fairy had ever been in her private sanctuary, not even Baby Tooth. It was the only place that Tooth allowed herself to be reminded of her past life. She sighed as she flew inside, letting herself relax at the smell of the incense. Her parents had lit them every night when she was younger, before...But she remembered the nights where the sweet smell of burning flowers that no longer existed, curling around her almost majestically, rocking her to sleep.

_Those days had been happy,_ she recalled as she blew out the candles that hung from the walls. Each day had ended with her father telling jokes, curling by the fire with her mother, being sneaked sweets when she wasn't looking. Tooth chuckled as she discarded the incenses. Haroom had always picked the most sweetest fruit for her, gotten the most softest cloths for her to sleep in. She sighed as she lifted the soft covers from her bed. Though these had been made the exact same way, they would never be as soft or as warm like her father had made them for her. _There wasn't a man who could ever compare to Haroom__,_ she thought as she slipped in. She blew out the very last candle, by her beside. _Nor would there ever be._

That night, Tooth had a vivid dream as she slept. She dreamt that she was lost in a thick fog, and there was someone calling her name for help.

"Tooth!" the voice cried.

The tooth fairy searched frantically for the desperate voice in the fog. "Where are you?" she cried, flying around frantically, the thick clouds preventing her from flying properly, unable to see more than a couple inches in front of her.

"Tooth! Help me!"

"I'm trying!" she shouted, darting back and forth, trying to find the source of the calling.

"Please!"

It was everywhere and nowhere, ringing in her ears, and echoing above her head. It was filled with a pain and agony that she would never know, but would chill her to her bones. It sounded so familiar, but so alien at the same time. The sound felt as if it was wrenched out of the throat, like it caused it great pain to cry for help. Not just physical, but deep, mental pain as well.

Suddenly, the fog rolled out of the way, parting a path to a single figure, lying in a ball. Tooth felt chills ruffle up her feathers as she recognized a single strip of ice blue.

_No. _

The fairy dove towards the body, repeating in her mind, _No. Not him. It can't be him. _Her thoughts were just as clouded as the fog, and she almost flew right above him. She hovered over the pale, squinting, then gasped as she leaned back, her hands over her mouth.

The sweater was ripped to shreds, hanging loosely on the skinny figure below her, and the same could be said for the pants. Tremors of horror made her feathers lift completely upward when she saw the large splatters of dried blood on the fabric. _No_. The body was like a frail cover thrown into the washer machine; torn to pieces, held together only by a few frail strands. The skin was covered with bruises and deep cuts. Nothing was spared. There were even dark burn marks on the arms and legs. The hair was so tangled and matted with dried blood that she couldn't even tell what color it was supposed to be. _Maybe it wasn't him._ Her eyes traveled upwards, to his face. His head was turned, the pale neck that was covered with angry purple bruises twisted away from her. Tooth hesitantly reached out. Her fingers lightly brushed against his ear, large and elfish.

Without a warning, the face whirled around to face her. She stifled a cry as piercing blue eyes shone out of the thin, scabbed face. "Jack," she gasped.

"Tooth," he breathed. "Help me."

Her mouth opened, to say words of comfort or to assure him, maybe, when a black fog rolled over him. The last thing she saw before it sucked him away were his eyes, wide and frightened before they vanished from sight. "Jack!" she screamed.

A dark chuckle filled his ears. "Not this time, fairy," Pitch's voice breathed in her ear. She shrieked and darted away. He laughed again. "He's _mine._"

"Tooth!" she whirled around at the sound of her name, called by that tortured voice.

"Jack!" she cried, looking around frantically, just like she had in the beginning of this nightmare. Out of nowhere, he appeared, suspended in midair. Blackness curled around his wrists and ankles as ropes, bounding him. Blood dripped from his cuts, landing in a grotesque red pool beneath his feet.

"Tooth, help me! Please!" he cried, writhing around in the air.

"I'm coming!" The tooth fairy flew towards him desperately. Just then, Pitch melted out of the shadows behind Jack, a dagger in one hand. Her eyes widened as he put it to his throat. "No," she choked.

He grinned at her, blackness darting from in and out of his eyes. "Yes."

And slit Jack's throat.

* * *

Jack opened his eyes, his heart pounding. For once, the cool ground of the dungeon comforted him. He groaned as he covered his head with his arms and cursed himself for falling asleep. _Stupid,_ he thought, though he had to admit, the nightmare hadn't been as bad as the others. He had been lost in a fog and was calling for Tooth. When she had finally found him, Pitch had slit his throat. He had an odd feeling, though, that the nightmare wasn't meant for him, that is was for Tooth.

_Or I could be going insane. _Either one was acceptable. He sighed as he got back into the fetal position. It caused the least amount of pain in his bum, and right now, he could do with less pain.

Without a warning, the door of his chamber swung open. He heard loud, swift footsteps enter the room, and horror crept into his chest when he recognized them. "Hello, Jack. Did you miss me?" Pitch's soft purr was like the poison of a viper.

For a split second, all of the pain in Jack's body was gone. He immediately made a desperate scramble away from Pitch to the other side on his behind, ignoring the searing pain in his bottom. Pitch sighed and took a single step forward before grabbing a handful of Jack's hair and lifted him clear off the ground. Jack screamed out as he felt the needle-sharp pain from his scalp, and tried to kick himself free. _I can't let him rape me again. I can't let him rape me again, _he thought desperately. _Not again._

"Aww, that hurt my feelings," Pitch whined, then in a single motion had Jack flat on his back. Before Jack could react, Pitch brought his foot down on to his stomach, and he instantly curled up, wheezing for the breath that had been robbed from his body. And he was on top of him again, shoving the torn fabric from his clothes out of the way.

"Pitch, no-" He tried to say. He didn't know what he was thinking, begging, but it was useless anyway. He let out a wail as Pitch shoved himself roughly into him that only got louder as he began to move in and out of him. Tears spilled out from his eyes and dribbled down his cheeks as he sobbed.

"That's it, Jack," he panted, his hips slamming into Jack's forcefully. He lurched with another scream. "Beg. Cry. No one can hear you down here. It's just you and me." Jack's answering yowl was suddenly cut off with a gurgle as Pitch curled his fingers tightly around his throat, cutting off his breathing, and wrenched his neck up so that they were eye-to-eye. Jack clawed weakly at his hands, his cries coming out in strangled shrieks. "That's it, my little puttana," he snarled. "You feel so much better than what that fairy could have given me! She couldn't even take me touching her!"

That made Jack focus on something other than his pain. "_What?_" he gasped incredulously.

Pitch grinned. "I'll leave that for a different time. But for now-" He thrusted particularly hard into him, distracting him very successfully. "-Let's focus on me and you."

Jack could feel the edges of his mind fraying, crumbling. Maybe if he just concentrated on them, the pain would go away. He closed his eyes and tried yo ignore the rupturing agony. Blackness fell around him, crashing in waves from the stormy sea, dragging him down into the depths. It was surrounding him, on top of him, pressing down his chest, suffocating him. But he could feel the flaring agony and sharp bits of pain vanish, the sounds of Pitch's panting and flesh against flesh disappearing. _It was working._

Jack could feel the dark about to claim him, and he embraced it. Anything other than what was happening then. Anything.

He was able to form one coherent thought before he was gone. _I started in darkness. _

_And I'll end in darkness._

* * *

Poor Jack. I doubt he can last much longer. :'(

But do not fear, for the next chapter is called "Escape" for a reason! :D

Please review.


	10. Escape

I'm baaaaaaack! :D

Wow, you guys have been really pressuring me for this chapter. Am I making you all that nervous? Maybe I should have waited a little longer to update this for you guys, just to see you squirm. But alas, I am not that cruel. Well, to you guys. Now to my characters, that's a completely different story. But I won't make you suffer for an update.

Yet.

Bwahahahahahahahahahaha!

Warning: descriptive noncon. I warned you all, and if you want to skip this part, go right ahead. But I promise that it'll be the last. I think.

I own nothing.

* * *

The next ten days made Jack wish he could be in hell. Or, at least, he would have thought that, if his mind wasn't filled with mind-numbing pain. Pitch wouldn't allow Jack to rest for a full hour before he would walk back in and rape him _over_ and _over_ again. Each time it would become worse and worse, with Pitch adding some sick, kinky torture as he entered him. He had even decided to brand Jack on his buttocks as if he was a cow. The branding iron had seared into his skin, making him scream so loud that the dust on the walls of the dungeon fell and lasted long after he had lost his voice. He never knew that he could hold that much breath in his lungs, and somewhere in the back of his mind, beneath the waves of pain, wondered how long it had taken him to die when he was Jack Overland. But of course, he was soon occupied. Pitch had whipped the skin around it so that it would stand out more, and suddenly Jack had found his voice again.

He had laid on the dungeon after each time, wincing, sometimes even crying, just from the sheer pain of it. The whippings were like slices of hell delivered directly on to his skin; they burned like it, too. The little gnarls on the ends that dug into his skin and literally ripped out chunks of flesh left him writhing and screeching in pure agony. Never before had he, or anyone else, he was sure, felt such pain before in their life.

But the worst ones were when he had decided to slice into his skin, to make "pretty pictures" with his blood while he was inside him.

"That's it, Jack. That's it," Pitch had snarled as he drew a line down the crying boy's back with a knife, watching the blood dribble out. "Let those tears come out." Then he had "rewarded" him by shoving him up against the wall hard enough to break several ribs and give him a serious concussion if he hadn't had one already, and wrapping his skinny fingers around his neck and forced his penis into his mouth when he had finally released him for air.

"Remember when I told you that swallowing your blood was for practice?" Pitch panted as he slid it in and out of Jack's mouth. He looked down at the ice spirit; he just looked so delectable to him, taking in his full length as he looked up at the boogeyman, his red eyes filled with tears and pain as Pitch forced it all the way down his throat. He could feel him gagging on it, but Pitch was relentless, pushing it farther down. The walls of the inside of his neck felt like cold heaven to him, soothing the burning pain that he had felt in him for too long. This, Pitch had believed, was something the tooth fairy could have never been able to do, even if he did manage to get inside of her mouth. Pitch's eyes wandered over Jack's broken body, and grinned at the sight. His new and old wounds were already bleeding fresh blood from his most recent beating, making blood pools around his knees. Tear streaks ran down both cheeks from blood-shot eyes, and dribbled over his chin and down his body, mixing with the blood. It was a beautiful sight to him. Beautiful and dark and twisted. Everything he enjoyed in one creature right in front of him. Down on his knees and practically begging for mercy. "Now's the time to see what you've learned."

Jack wished he could have just swallowed blood again.

Then afterwards, Pitch would continue feeding the idea that Jack he was worthless, that he was alone, then leave Jack to deal with the idea. After each time, the pain both physically and mentally scarring him, he would try and zone out and be lost in a happy dream, knowing that the dark place that he had gone before wasn't healthy for him. It had taken him ages to try and fight the waves that were holding him down, to get back up to the surface.

But even in his dreams, Pitch dominated him. Each time he closed his eyes, a nightmare so terrible and realistic would send him running back to reality, where Pitch would be waiting for him. After a few days, he just stopped trying. He would lay wherever Pitch left him and stare at the wall, letting the pain wash over him and drown him. He used the same method as before, letting the darkness crash over his head and take him away, away from reality and nightmares. A place where pain couldn't hurt him anymore. He laid there and took everything that Pitch was giving to him without saying a word, held in world where nothing could hurt him. And Pitch had accomplished his goal. He was broken. When he saw this, he released the chains around his wrists and ankles and neck, which would give Jack the ability to attack him when he entered the room. But Jack had no more energy left in him; all could feel was the burning pain and the agony in his head, physical and mental. More and more, he returned to that place where nothing could touch him, until he had become bound there, lost there, never to return.

Even daily visits from Baby Tooth weren't able to bring him back to the living. She would plead for him to say something, even gesture, but he would stare at her with cloudy eyes, every tweet and chirp unreachable to him. Baby Tooth even attempted to peck at his scabs or his fresh(or freshly open) wounds, trying to use pain to rouse him, but he would just lay on his side, his eyes seeing nothing, his ears hearing nothing. He wouldn't sleep, or eat the food that she managed to sneak into his cell, he wouldn't even blink. He would only lay on his side, his mouth slightly agape as the blood dried and crusted on his body. She was only sure that he was alive by the faint rising and falling of his chest.

By the seventh day, Baby Tooth finally saw that Jack was gone, lost in some place that was beyond retrievable. She continued to visit him, though, snuggling up to him and trying to bring him comfort. He didn't even acknowledge her presence; she wasn't even sure if he knew she was there. He wouldn't even blink if she had curled up by his face. And she had to live with the guilt that she could do nothing, or tell anybody what was happening, because she was bound to a promise no matter what, even if it got out of hand. And it was literally eating her alive. The only thing that kept her from falling apart completely was that she was going with her original plan and would tell everybody what had happened the first day of December. In fact, she was planning to wake up Tooth as soon as midnight hit and confess everything.

On the eighteenth day of Jack's capture, on her way to visit Jack for the second time that day, Baby Tooth ran into Tooth, who was twittering excitedly in the main palace, not barking orders at the others for once. "Baby Tooth!" she called, waving to the small fairy. "Come here, I have to show you something!"

She groaned inwardly; she hated looking up into those violet eyes and seeing all the hope and happiness in them and know that the boy she was in love with was currently being tortured. _Do you know? _she asked silently as she came to Tooth, looking at her. _Do you know that Jack Frost is being tortured as we speak? That he's either chained up, being whipped and stabbed, or on his back, being brutally raped? That Pitch is feeding off of his terror, growing stronger, and at the same time Jack in on the brink of death? That he cannot even feel the pain, that he is too far gone for even you to reach him? And that the whole reason for him not asking for help and that keeps me from telling you is because he's afraid he'll judge you?!  
_

The small fairy clenched her fists, digging her tiny little fingers into the palm of her hand, trying not to spill everything right there.

"Baby Tooth, I finished making the music box for Jack!" Tooth squealed as she held it out for the miniature her to see. Baby Tooth sighed, and looked at the music box in Tooth's hands.

It was extremely impressive, ornately carved out of chestnut wood, about twice the size of Tooth, painted neatly with white and blue and different shades of gray, colors of the winter. Tooth lifted open the top, and a little obsidian statue of two people in the waltz position rose out of a felt pedestal from the bottom of the box, which was covered in white velvet. They began to spin around slowly as music began to come from it. First the piano began to play, then suddenly, Tooth's voice, as recognizable as hearing the choir of heaven, came out of it.

"_Come stop your crying;  
__It'll be alright.  
__Just take my hand,  
__Hold it tight.  
__I will protect you  
__From all around you.  
__Just take my hand,  
__Don't you cry…._"

Baby Tooth, her anger suddenly gone, flew closer to the music boxed, memorized. It was beautiful, the way the music seemed to curl around her. She closed her eyes, imaging that a warm, soft hand was cradling her, gently stroking her wings and petting her cheek. A hand that made her feel safe.

"_For one so small,  
You seem so strong.  
My arms will hold you,  
Keep you safe and warm.  
This bond between us  
Can't be broken.  
I will be here,  
Don't you cry….._"

Baby Tooth suddenly got an idea. She shut the lid and urgently asked Tooth how to wind it up and down. "Um, this little key right here." She tapped the silver key in the back with her finger. "Why?"

She pointed at herself. "You'll take it to him? But I wanted to do it myself," Tooth murmured. "And besides, it's too big for you," she added.

The smaller fairy conjured three others with the wave of her hand. "Are you sure you guys can handle this?" she asked suspiciously as she handed it to them. Baby Tooth nodded hurriedly. "Okay. Good luck!" she called as they flew away.

On the way to Burgess, Baby Tooth told them what had happened to Jack. She ignored their distress and told them her plan. They all agreed that it was the only thing that they could do under the circumstances.

By the time they had gotten to Jamie's city, the moon had risen, full and bright, shining on the little town. It even seemed to gleam on the fairies' path as they flew through the trees and bushes until they came to the other side of a bluff over a frozen river. The gaping hole was still there, just large enough for Jack to crawl out. _If he can_, Baby Tooth thought. As fast as they could without dropping the precious instrument, the fairies shot down the sideways tunnel. When they had reached the end, they carefully pushed it through the crevice on to the other side where Baby Tooth was waiting.

She grunted as she bore the full weight of the box, but let herself float downwards until she hit the floor, where she carefully slid out from underneath it. Then she turned to Jack, who was lying in the same position that he had when she left. His eyes, which had turned entirely black, even the whites, sent chills up her back. They had been like this for a day now, proving that Pitch was always there, now inside him as well.

The little fairy took a deep breath, then pushed up the lid of the music box. And the song began just where it left off.

"_'Cause you'll be in my heart…..  
Yes, you'll be in my heart….  
From this day on,  
Now and forever more…_"

For the first time in days, Jack lifted his head and blinked, the blackness of his irises suddenly dulled. "Tooth?" His voice was barely above a hiss of the breath, his black-as-night eyes darting around the room until they locked on to the music box. A flash of confusion went across his face, the most emotion Baby Tooth had seen from him in ages. It wasn't what she had wanted, but it was better than nothing.

"_You'll be in my heart…  
__No matter what they say…  
__You'll be here in my heart,  
__Always…._"

Jack's confusion was replaced with a fierce look of determination, something that looked odd on his weak face, and pressed his palms against the ground as he tried to push himself to his feet. He cried out in pain as his legs gave out on him as soon as he put pressure on them. Baby Tooth winced as he hit the ground with a sickening thud.

"I can't do it," he gasped. "I can't do it." He curled up into a ball in defeat, his body trembling. Baby Tooth glanced back at the other fairies in dismay.

"_Don't listen to them!  
__'Cause what do they know?  
__We need each other  
__To have, to hold.  
__They'll see in time…..  
__I know..."_

He looked up at the music box, weariness pulling at the corners of his eyes. _Come on, _Baby Tooth begged silently. _You can do it!_ Slowly, he put one arm out, and dragged himself to it. He grunted at the stinging in his arm from all the bruises and cuts, but continued on with the other arm. Baby Tooth squealed and clapped her hands, cheering for him.

"_When destiny calls you,  
__You must be strong!_"

"I'll be strong," he whispered, starting to crawl a tad-bit faster. He felt a soft touch inside of him. It seemed to lift off a weight that he hadn't even noticed he was carrying.

"_I may not be with you,  
__But you've got to hold on!  
__They'll see in time…  
__I know…  
__We'll show them together!  
__Cause you'll be in my heart!  
__Yes, you'll be in my heart….  
__From this day on,  
__Now and forever more!"_

The music driving him on, he began to army-crawl faster, his eyes beginning to lighten. He began to imagine Tooth, not covered in blood, but laughing, happy, her amethyst eyes twinkling. He thought of North, his jolly Russian accent booming through his ears. Bunny's playful grin as he gently scolded Jack. Sandy's wide grin and Jamie's laugh, his smile.

He was spurred on even more so, thinking of the people who matter the most to him. _Pitch was wrong_, he thought. _They do love me, and I love them…_

"_Ye_s_, you'll be in my heart!  
No matter what they say,  
You'll be in my heart, always…._

Jack finally reached the music box as Tooth's voice trailed off on the last note. He winced as he sat up and picked up the box in trembling hands as she finished the song.

"_Always…"_

"Always," he whispered as he gently closed the box, and held it to his chest. He closed his eyes, and cradled it to himself. Then he opened his eyes, and to Baby Tooth's delight, they were once again an electric icy blue. A little unclear, maybe, but it was a signal that he was _back._

Jack looked up at Baby Tooth, who was hovering happily by the crevice. "I still can't break it down, though," he whispered unhappily. She put a finger to her beak mouth, telling him to wait. Just then, the wall crumbled away into a soft pile of dirt at his feet, revealing the hole that was just large enough for him to crawl through.

The other fairies, who had been working on taking down the wall, waved at him when they came out on to the other side. He grinned, a little bit uneasily, but he was _smiling_. Baby Tooth's little heart beat rapidly. He was getting better already! "Can you take this up?" he rasped, holding the box up to them. They nodded, and all of them except Baby Tooth went to put it back up to the surface.

Baby Tooth glanced at Jack. "I'm ready," he coughed, blood spattering again against the ground. She flew over to him, ready to help, but he waved her away. "I have to do this alone," he whispered. She hesitated, then nodded and watched as he got on all fours and began to crawl towards the entrance. His knees burned with the pressure, but he ignored it and focused on getting to the hole. It was his only way and now was his only chance.

He took a shaky breath when he reached the beginning of the whole. Gnarly roots and stems peeked out of the floor of the tunnel, with sharp rocks jutting out of the sides. _I have to do this_, he thought firmly, then began to climb up. Jack winced and groaned as he climbed up, but again waved away Baby Tooth's help. "I can do this," he gasped.

Trying to block out all of the agony in his legs and arms and the nauseous feeling in his head, he progressed up the tunnel. Thankfully, it was slanted enough so that it was simply a matter of putting his hands and feet in a spot that would give him the least amount of pain. He wiggled his shoulders so that they wouldn't bump into the sharp edges, grateful that he had such narrow shoulders.

After what seemed like years, Jack finally pulled himself out of the tunnel and collapsed on to the other side into the snow, breathing heavily. He curled up into a ball and buried himself into the frostiness, laughing softly as the coldness soothe his burning wounds. Oh, how good it was to feel this kind of cold again! He laughed again, louder, and flipped on to his back, ignoring the sting in his arse, and stared up at the sky, still laughing. The fairies cheered as they saw him become the old Jack again.

The moon shone down directly on him, the usually cold light now engulfing him a sort of warmness that he could only describe as the feeling he got around Tooth.

"Thank you," he whispered. What felt like a warm hand gently caressed his face.

Suddenly, a shaking noise distracted him from his audience with MiM. He bolted upright, earning a sharp sting in his buttocks, and looked up just in time to see the bluff that he had just crawled out of collapse in on itself, the tunnel completely destroyed.

"Whoa," he whispered.

Baby Tooth squeaked, getting his attention. "What?" he rasped. She pointed at one of the long slashes. He rolled his eyes, thinking she meant that he was hurt. "I realize that, thank you." She shook her head and grabbed a ball of snow and began to rub it on the wound. He hissed at the sudden sting, but then relaxed at the soothing coldness on his back, and watched as the fairy rinsed off the dried blood on and around the area.

The other fairies started to pull off the bloody rags that used to be his beloved sweater so that he laid shirtless. They tried to gently remove his pants, which was better condition than his poor sweater, but still looked pretty ripped up. Bu the pain in his rectum was too much, and they were forced to leave it alone.

After their failed attempt, they began to copy Baby Tooth, and began to rinse him of the blood dried on his body. Soon, the snow around them was stained dark crimson, but he was left sparkling white in the air. He shivered as the cold wind swirled inside of his wounds. He supposed it could have been worse, but as he looked over all of his gashes and bruises, the only worse thing he could imagine were broken bones, and he wasn't even sure if he didn't have those.

"Thank you so much, you guys," he breathed, his breath coming out om icy little wisps. They nodded, then flew over to a close oak tree. They brushed the snow off of a long wooden stick that was half-hidden until it came out by the roots. His eyes widened when he saw it was his staff. "My staff," he gasped. He crawled towards it eagerly, and grabbed the long shaft between his two hands. Using it as support, he pulled himself to his feet.

Jack scooped up the music box in one arm, and proceeded to hobble home, the fairies following him cautiously. He peered around the forest, fearful that Pitch or his Nightmares would leap out of the shadows and drag him back to that hellhole. But Pitch nor his dark horses arose from the shadows. He let out a breath of relief when he reached his house. They helped him up the steps, carrying the box so he could use both hands to grab on to the staff and lift him up the stairs.

The pain overwhelming him, he collapsed on to the soft wooly bed in his room that was(thank Man in Moon!)the first door to the right. He barely noticed the new rugs and items on the mantelpiece down the hallway as he stumbled into his room, or that he now had a dresser, a desk in one corner, a few lamps, and a nightstand. He would notice those later.

The staff fell with a clatter on the floor as he snuggled into the soft wool, and curled up into a ball as the fairies pulled the cover over him. His eyes flickered up to Baby Tooth. "Thank you," he croaked. She smiled and patted his head softly with one of her tiny hands before leading the rest of the fairies out.

Jack started to wind back the music box and placed it on the ground. He sighed as the music began and closed his eyes. No dreams would come to him that night, but it was a pleasure to not have any at all for him.

* * *

I thought it would be best if Jack got out of there before the Winter Concert! :D Don't think I forgot about that, did you?

Anyway, I know "You'll Be in My Heart" is by Phil Collins, but the version I thought would be best was by Celtic Woman. This woman's singing is BEAUTIFUL. My readers, PLEASE go and check her out. She is AMAZING.


	11. Jack's Back!

I thought that you guys liked me. :'( Been gone almost a whole week and only five reviews?! *uncontrollable sobbing* Well, I see how it is. This story just took a very drastic turn. I had a different idea for the ending, but now...bwahahahahahaha! If Jack and I ever met in real life, he would probably freeze the crap out of me after what happens in the chapters after this. And it would be worth it!

But still, reviews make me feel all good and fuzzy inside. I don't mean to be a review-hungry author, but I would like more. Of course, it's all up to you guys!

I own nothing.

* * *

Tooth knocked on the door of Jack's ice house nervously, wondering if it wasn't too late to fly away. But the almost desperate need to know that Jack was alright kept her feet firmly to the ground, which felt strange after flying for so long without setting her feet on the floor.

Nobody had seen Jack in over three weeks, and even Bunnymund himself had begun to get worried when he had heard that Jack hadn't been having any snow days lately. Even though she knew that she wasn't supposed to know that the house existed, she was starting to get really worried. She was made even more so when there had been no word from Jack after North, Bunny, and, Sandy had went over and brought over housewarming gifts when he wasn't there. And that had been over week ago.

Then there had been the dreams...The fairy shuddered, her fathers ruffling in agitation. Once a night, for the past week and a half, she had received a disturbing dream about Jack. They had bled into real life, making her unable to concentrate on teeth duties. Because she always saw, out of the corner of her eyes or behind her eyelids, Jack dying in some terrible, gruesome way. At first, it had been Pitch killing him, stabbing him, breaking his bones. But then it had just been Jack alone, staring at her with red, hyper-realistic eyes as he just stood there, bleeding to death as she screamed and cried for him, unable to break between the barrier between them. The eyes almost looked exactly like Suicide Squidward's, except this time, they were pasted on someone she cared for dearly. The dreams and nightmares started becoming scary and frightening enough for her to agree to the idea to go and check on him.

She knocked again, and was truly considering if she should just fly away when the door swung open. Jack stood in the doorway, rubbing his eyes sleepily. Her heartbeat flew at the sight of him, then relaxed. _He's okay._ After not seeing him for days, almost weeks, though, the yearning to touch him intensified, to leap at him and encase him with her heat as she hugged him tightly. But she held herself back, only touching him with her eyes.

"Yes?" Jack yawned, then froze when he saw who it was. "Tooth!" His eyes, which seemed uncharacteristically cloudy, widened.

"Hey, Jack." She rubbed her arm, slightly embarrassed. Of course he was fine! There had been no reason for her to have gotten so paranoid and disturbed him. He wasn't a child. How long would he go without seeing the Guardians before October? Two months? And here she was, getting worried after just a few weeks.

"Um, not that I don't want to see you or anything, but what are you doing here?" he asked. His voice was barely above a rasp.

"Well, uh, you didn't come to the last Karaoke Night," she started, _really _thinking that this was a bad idea, "and then nobody's seen you in a few weeks and the rest of the Guardians were starting to get worried."

"Ah." He nodded. He hadn't moved yet to let her in.

She squinted at him. There were circles under his eyes and he seemed to move rather slowly. Well, slowly for Jack. "Are you okay?" she asked, concerned. "You don't look well." She reached out to touch his face. To her surprise, he flinched away from her hand. She blinked, and quickly withdrew her hand, trying not to feel hurt. "Did you get the music box that I sent you?" she asked, changing the subject.

He blinked, too, then grinned slowly. It seemed more like a grimace. "Yeah, it was a real life-saver. You have no idea how badly I need that."

She smiled back. "Thank you. I-I wasn't sure if you would enjoy Tar- oh my Moon, what happened to your face?!" she cried as her eyes saw the scabs across one of his cheeks.

He slapped his hand over it, but it was too late. And then she saw the cuts on his hands and wrists. "Jack! What happened!" She tried to grab one of his hands, but he yanked it away, though there was an apologetic look his eyes as he did so. "Come inside," he hissed, turning away and walking down the hall.

Tooth didn't know what to make of his strange behavior, so she just followed him inside and closed the door behind her as she looked around in his new house. She hadn't come with the other Guardians to bring housewarming gifts, worried that Jack would be angry at them if they found out his secret, so she looked around eagerly, trying to see what she had missed. It looked like a huge log cabin from the inside, with the old fashioned wood insides and the paintings hung up on the wall. There was a white-and-gray rug that stretched across the carpet in the hallway. She glanced up and saw an ice chandelier. _So maybe he's just been interior decorating_, she thought as she looked at a vase with little flowers in them on the mantelpiece on the wall. To her surprise, they weren't white or blue or frozen. She leaned over and sniffed. They were irises, to both her surprise and pleasure. They were one of her favorite flowers.

"In here!" he called softly to her from his room, his quiet voice. She whirled around, guilty of being caught, though her act hadn't been at all bad. He laughed as he beckoned to her. "It's only flowers," he reminded her as she came into his room. He closed the door behind her before gesturing for her to sit down in one of the plush armchairs.

"You know, for Jack Frost, you don't have a lot of ice," Tooth commented as she sat down.

He shrugged, then noticeably winced as he handed her a steaming mug that she guessed he had made for himself, raising her alarm. "I want my friends to be comfortable when they come over. It's only really cold in the workshops." His voice was terrible. He sounded like he had been screaming for hours. She nodded before glancing curiously into the cup. "Don't worry, I'm not going to poison you," he chuckled. "Yet," he added playfully as she took a sip, though the laughter didn't quite seem to reach his eyes. She rolled her eyes as she swallowed. It tasted like her own SleepyTime tea, though noticeably sweeter.

"So what happened to you?" she asked as she set down the cup on the nightstand beside her, eyeing the slashes that mauled his pretty face.

"Had a run in with a leprechaun," he replied as he grabbed a cup from behind the dresser, which was probably from North, behind him, and drank from it. "Remind me to never follow one to its gold again," he joked, his voice more full from the tea as he leaned against the dresser. Tooth noticed he didn't sit down.

She narrowed her eyes, but then it caught something else. "Jack, what's that?" she asked, pointing to his neck as spotted something black on his throat.

He tugged up the collar of his hoodie, trying to hide it. Tooth opened her mouth, but then was interrupted by Jack's unusually soft voice. "It really did help me," he said, looking not at her, but at the music box on the desk against the wall. It shone in the light shining in from the window. "When I slept, it was the only thing that kept me sane."

"What do you mean? Have you been having nightmares?" she asked.

Jack didn't say anything for a while, then nodded slowly. "Yeah, I guess you could say that," he replied, still staring at it.

"Have they gone away?"

"Yes. And no," he sighed as he put down his mug. "I don't have dreams anymore, period. But believe me, it's better than the alternative," he added, his blue eyes glancing at her.

She couldn't help herself. "What are they about?" she blurted.

He didn't seem fazed by her question; instead, he whispered, "The worst things in the world to me."

"Oh, Jack," she whispered, standing up and lifting her arms to embrace him. He flinched violently away from her. She let her arms drop and tried to fight the tears stinging behind her eyes. _Why doesn't he want me to touch him?_ "I, I-I should probably get going," she stammered, turning away.

"No, please don't leave!" His voice came out oddly desperate, something she never thought to hear from Jack. She whirled back around to see that his eyes were wide and pleading, making the circles from underneath his eyes even more pronounced.

"Jack, what's wrong?" she whispered as she reached up to touch him underneath the eyes. She could see that it took all of his willpower not to duck away from her as she traced the lines around his eyes. "Jack," she whispered, as her fingers outlined the gashes on his cheek. She didn't know why she said his name again. But saying it made her feel...funny. Like tiny fairies were fluttering in her chest. They were rocketing inside her now as their eyes met.

Jack took a deep breath, then caught her hand and pressed it gingerly against his cheek, like the last time they had been together. "I'm sorry," he murmured. "I just….." He trailed off.

"It's okay," she assured him. "You don't need to tell me."

Something flashed in his eyes, something dark, but then it was gone. He gently lifted her hand off of his cheek, but still held on to it. "I guess I should have told you guys I was going to be gone for a while," he sighed, playing with her fingers, gently running the tip of his own along the edges. She watched, wide-eyed, as she saw the scratches coiling around his own. Tooth tried not to demand for him to tell her what really happened, but it caused an ache in her stomach.

"It's okay," she replied, trying to keep her eyes from crossing. "I mean, you're technically not a child, and it was only a few weeks, you've been busy doing your—ah!"

She gasped slightly as he pressed her fingertips tips against his lips. They were soft and smooth, like a carved Cupid ice statue. He raised an eyebrow, waiting for her to continue. She swallowed, and went on, trying to keep her voice from trembling, "You've been busy doing your house and things, and I totally understand that you can't always run off to do the stupid stuff like Karaoke Night—" she babbled.

"Karaoke Night isn't stupid," he interrupted, flipping over her hand, and began to smooth the feathers down on the back of her hand, which had raised in aggravation without her noticing. "I actually did want to go but I…..had other things to worry about." He smiled playfully at her as he traced her fingertips along the outline of his lips, though the smile seemed strained. "Did you miss me?"

"No!" He raised a white eyebrow at her. "Yes," she admitted.

"Don't worry." He handed her back her hand, which she took in almost disbelief. "I missed you, too," he said softly.

Tooth stared at him, unsure whether to throw her arms around him and kiss him, or to fly out the house before she could make another mistake. She just didn't know what to do with this new romantic, mysterious Jack. He was being teasing and playful, but his eyes were dark and misty, as if he was unsure if she was real or not.

"You know, maybe you should come back up to the North Pole for a while," she suggested. "Tell everybody you're okay."

"Yeah, I have to thank them for the stuff they got me for my workshop. I know you guys came in here and decorated it, don't even try to lie," he added when she opened her mouth to protest.

"You're not angry, are you?" she asked anxiously.

"No. I'm flattered." He smirked. "How did you even find this place?"

"Um, I, uh, saw you working on it, one night," she answered truthfully. She wasn't sure how he would react if she told him what else she saw that night. And at the moment, she didn't want to find out.

He nodded his head, not pressuring her for more. "Well, thanks. And sure, I think I'll go up there."

"Okay, well, let's go!"

"You go ahead," he said, resting against the wardrobe. "I think I'm gonna have a bit more of my tea. I'll catch up with you later."

"Alright." She stepped back to leave, then frowned. "Is that a new hoodie?" she asked.

He looked down, surprised, then nodded. "How did you know?" he asked.

She shrugged. "It doesn't look as dirty or ripped. Oh, well! See you there." She turned back around to, then hesitated, then whirled back around and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before hurrying out of the house. She almost flew into one of the trees, her head cloudy. She shook her head, and tried to rid herself of the fog that Jack created in her head. It wasn't until she was passing over Canada that she had considered the idea that Jack had been distracting her, and that he was not being completely honest about his injuries.

* * *

Jack waited until he heard the door close behind her before groaning as he fell into a heap on to his bed, his arms and legs sore from standing so long. But it was almost worth it compared to the pain in his anus if he had sat down. Six days had passed since he had been freed, and still it was impossible to sit down. He had to stuff toilet paper in the back of his underwear to keep the blood from leaking into his pants. He was lucky that none of his wounds decided to open up with Tooth had been visiting.

He sighed. He remembered how his mind went blank after seeing her there on his front porch. She wasn't supposed to be there. She wasn't supposed to have known it existed in the first place. But he had to admit, it was nice for some actual company once in a while. Especially Tooth. He let himself daydream about the soft touch of her fingers on his lips and his cheek, soothing away all the pain. He was glad that he had decided to take the chance.

He scratched absent-mindedly at one of the gashes in his hands; those were beginning to heal just fine. But the more serious stab wounds, especially the one that ripped across his chest and the other that went down into his butt crack, were starting to look pretty bad. The last one he was terrified to look at, while the other was simply a matter of stitching it up. Jack knew that Tooth would have a heart-attack if she saw all the bandages around his torso and arms and legs. Which reminded him…..

Jack sighed as he pulled off the hoodie and shirt, both gifts that had appeared on the chair at his desk the morning he had been freed, and laid them on his bed before walking up to his floor-length mirror. Yep, they needed to be changed. He was surprised a couple of them didn't bleed through.

As he changed the old bandages and replaced them, he fought hard to keep from laying down and falling asleep. Because the last time he had done that, it had taken a sharp stab of the beak from Baby Tooth three days later to wake him up from his nightmare. He was afraid that the next time, he wouldn't wake up at all.

Throwing away the old bandages in the trashcan, Jack suddenly began to cough. He immediately grabbed a napkin and started to cough up blood. By the time he had finished, the whole napkin was red. He sighed and grabbed another to wipe away the blood that was around his mouth before tossing them both in the trash.

There was a sudden creak outside of his door. A sudden jolt of fear shot up his spine, and he found himself pressed against the far wall of his room. Jack didn't even realize it until his ankles and back screamed out in pain. Jack shook his head and collapsed back on to the bed. He had been as jumpy as a cat for the past few days. He couldn't quite remember how long it had taken him to stop him from blowing off a corner of his house with his staff whenever he though he saw a shadow move. _I need to _stop _being _scared _all the time_, he thought with a groan. _Pitch is gone now. He is gone, and he is not coming back. He will never hurt me again. _

But his heart still thudded loudly in his chest and the back of his hairs were still raised. He groaned and pressed his head into the softness of his pillow. He felt dizzy, and reached for his cup. Greedily, he downed the tisane in mere seconds, feeling the herbal tea soothe his inflamed throat and raging insides and throbbing head. When the last drop had been drained, he set it down on the dresser again, then reached for a box of gauze and wraps that he kept under his bed to change his bandages. He finished redressing his wounds and grabbed his staff, and was about to head out when he caught a look at himself in the floor-length mirror.

At a glanced, he seemed alright; all of his cuts and bruises were hidden, the ones along his hands and feet healing nicely. There would be, of course, the problem with the scarring on his cheek, but they resembled leprechaun scratches just enough that he could get away with the lie. But a closer look, and you could easily see that his face was hollowed out, that his clothes hung much more loosely on him. As he took a step back, his reflection winced with every movement. Then there were the black bruises on his neck that clearly matched Pitch's large hands, not small ones of a leprechaun. He fluffed up his hood around the collar to hide it. But he wondered how he was going to be able to hide anything from the sharp eyes other Guardians.

* * *

"Jack, my boy!" North boomed when he had hobbled into the jolly man's workshop. He opened his arms wide, expecting a hug.

"Uh, sorry. Not today, old man," he tried to joke. "Feeling a bit, uh, sore today."

Santa Claus rolled his eyes, but didn't pressure him, to his relief. "Why have you been away from home so long, old friend?" he asked as they continued through the workshop, the yetis' toys whirring above their heads and buzzing around them.

"I'm sorry, North," Jack said apologetically, wincing as one of the elves accidentally stepped on his foot. "I've just been busy. I've been working on my house and I went over to California to visit Jamie."

"And how was it?" he pressed.

"It was, um, hotter there than I thought," he lied. "But the hills and the mountains were nice," he added, using the information that he had gotten from previous trips before it had started getting warmer over there.

"Ah, yes. The great Sierra Nevada and Sacramento Valley and River are both wonders of universe," he sighed, a dreamy look on his face. "It is beautiful there, Jack. Remind me to visit there during winter, just you and me. We will go into forest and hike mountains! Then, we go see sunset together on beach!"

"That sounds great," Jack smiled, barely noticing the aching pain in him for once. "I'd love to."

"Then it is set!" He laughed as he patted Jack on the back. He bit his lip as he fought to hold in a cry of pain. He could feel one of his wounds reopening.

Just as they rounded a corner, Tooth flew into sight. "There you guys are!" she exclaimed. "I have been looking for you for hours! I looked in the toy factory and the train station and the chocolate waterfall—"

"Can't I and Jack have some alone time?" North grumbled. "You two always spend time together! When it be MY time to spend some time with the boy? We were just planning vacation to California!"

She gasped playfully. "And without me? Even though I've been wanting to go on a trip to California for years? Oh! I feel myself growing faint!" She put her hand to her head dramatically and began to fall. Acting on instinct, Jack darted forward, catching her in his arms. He stifled a groan as the impact stung on the cuts around his arms. She blinked open her eyes, then grinned and threw her arms around his neck. "My hero!" she declared, burying her face into his chest.

"Yes, yes, you have finally gotten your prince," North said impatiently. "Now when are baby prince and princess coming?"

Her face flushed red as she quickly flew out of his arms while Jack rolled his eyes, looking nonchalant while inside a flower of hope bloomed inside him. Maybe, just maybe, he could get past these next couple months without anybody knowing what happened. And maybe things would go back to normal.

* * *

As the days rolled on by, Jack started settling into a pattern, something he had never done before, though staying in more inside his house and charting his schedule than bringing snow and joy. But he planned to make up for it as he came up with the best way to bring joy to several countries in one night(or day), but until then, he would make short, little trips to areas nearby. The wind was too brutal against him if he went to places like Russia or Thailand.

Thankfully, his injuries were beginning to heal, the not-as-serious stab wounds and the "painting of his blood" now just silver lines. But the others were still opening up at the slightest touch, no matter what he did with them. He even feared that a couple were infected. His rectum would still bleed, and he would cough up blood so frequently that he had to carry around a crimson-colored handkerchief to cover up the fact that he was spurting blood. Not to mention the pounding headache that never seemed to cease, though that might have been due to never sleeping.

Jack had become so fearful of the nightmares that he would wind up the music box so that it would last for hours as he attempted to sleep. But then there was the problem of pulling himself out of sleep, and after once again being violently awaken by Baby Tooth, he realized that as long as he was still in critical condition, he couldn't sleep without falling into a coma, or worse: dying. So even though the pain of his whole body begged him to take a rest, he braved through the pain as best as he could.

The other Guardians began to notice, though, that something was wrong with Jack. They would catch him coughing violently, and although he would wave it away and say that it was only a cough, Sandy's golden eyes narrowed when he saw the red flecks from Jack's mouth one time. Tooth began to see that whenever Jack would come into contact with something, he would wince in pain, and flinched away from any signs of touching. North would notice that Jack wouldn't crack as many jokes as often, and that his laugh would contain strain under it. Not to mention that all three of them could see a fazed look in his eyes, something that worried them the most.

But it was the Easter Bunny who finally realized that Jack needed help.

Jack had invited him over for a cup of tea(actually, it was carrot tea for Bunny, Jack's own little joke) and he had went over to look at Jack's maps.

"What is this rubbish?" Bunny asked, gesturing the mess on his desk in one of the workshops.

"It is not 'rubbish'," Jack protested in a overdone Australian accent, pulling himself up to his feet with his staff, then continued in his regular voice, "it's my plan for the rest of the year. I'm trying to evenly spread out the snow time so that I can bring the fun to as much of the world as possible in one day."

"Wow, mate, that's a whopping goal you got there," Bunnymund whistled. "You sure you can do it?"

He shrugged. "How will I know if I don't try?"

The rabbit shrugged. "Hey, do you have a bathroom in here that isn't made of ice, mate?" he asked.

"Upstairs, first door on the left," Jack said as he sat back down in his desk chair and continued to chart his route.

"Thanks, mate."

A couple minutes later, he hopped back downstairs to find that the ice spirit had passed out on his desk. For a second, he just stared. He looked so peaceful, his arms folded neatly underneath his head, his mouth gently agape in his dream state.

He had no idea that Jack was watching him being stabbed to death by poachers in his dream while he slit North's throat.

"Poor little ankle-biter," the Easter Bunny chuckled as he took the young boy in his arms. "Tuckered himself out." He felt strangely lumpy underneath his clothes. He ignored it, though, and carried him to his room and gently tucked him in. Then he turned and spotted the music box. Curious, he opened it up and winded it back a bit. Tooth's voice came out, as beautiful as always.

Suddenly, Jack began to smile ever-so-slightly in his sleep as his nightmare was dispelled. Bunny grinned, and reached out to pet him goodnight when he saw something on his fur.

Furrowing his eyebrows, he lifted up his arm, then gasped when he saw the blood stains on his fur. He glanced down at Jack, then gently pulled down the covers and saw a huge red stain against the back of his hoodie that wasn't there a couple seconds ago. Holding his breath, he carefully lifted up Jack's sweater from behind.

Across what little he could see of Jack's backs were a series of bandages that were bleeding through, with dried blood around them. One that went vertically down his back looked the worse of them over. Bunny held a hand over his mouth to keep himself from hurling right there as he put back down his hoodie.

He stumbled back into one of the chairs, unable to comprehend what he just saw. Just then, the song ended. Suddenly Jack bolted upright. He blinked a couple times, then groaned as he put his face in his hands.

"Jack? Are you alright, mate?" Bunny asked concernedly.

The boy looked up at Jack to reply, and that's when he saw everything the other Guardians saw: the deep shadows underneath his eyes, the scratches on his cheek that had now healed, how he wobbled slightly even though he was sitting down, and that terrifyingly blank gaze in his eyes.

"Hmm? Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," he muttered distractedly. "How…..how long ago did I fall asleep?"

"Ten minutes ago at the most." Then he saw something that the other Guardians didn't notice: the purple swelling and scabs hidden in the white halo of his hair. The Easter Bunny took a deep breath. He had to get Jack up to the North Pole; he was seriously injured and needed help.

_But he won't go willingly_, Bunny thought. An idea came to him. "I just got, uh, a call from North. He said that his ice machine had broken needed some help freezing some of his toys. I told him you were asleep—"

"What? No, I'll come up and help him," Jack exclaimed, throwing off the covers and swinging his leg gingerly off of the bed. Bunny narrowed his eyes when he caught the sight of a gash on the side of his ankle that disappeared up his pants leg.

"You ready, mate?" Bunny asked, getting to his feet. His eyes wandered over his body, wondering what else what else he could have missed, then locked on to a set of yellowing bruises around his neck. Jack glanced up, then their eyes locked for a second. He longed for Jack to just spill everything to him, to tell him what happened, and felt an overwhelming desire to go over to Jack and take him in his arms and just hold him close, to tell him that everything would be okay, that he and the other Guardians could keep him safe.

_Why didn't you tell me? _he asked Jack with his eyes. _Why didn't you say anything? Why didn't you trust us?_ For a while, they just stood there, unsure what to say to each other. Finally, Jack fluffed up his collar, effectively hiding the bruises, and cleared his throat.

"Yep. Let's go."

* * *

I thought it would be nice to strengthen that bond between Jack and Bunny. NOT ROMANTIC, just a mano-a-mano thing. Brotherly thing, you know? You don't? Oh. Well then. ._.


	12. Hurt

Wow, I post up ONE chapter, asking for just a few more reviews, and all of a sudden my email is exploding with reviews! :D I love you guys _sooo_ much!

And for your loyalty and doing what I asked, I have decided that I will release this chapter EARLY(I've been done with it for a week now, and was planning to put it up tomorrow). And maybe, if you guys just review a little bit more, I'll bring out the next chapter as soon as TOMORROW. ;)

I own nothing.

* * *

We need to talk about Jack," Bunny panted as soon as he had sent Jack off and gotten with the other Guardians in the globe room.

North frowned as he leaned on the control board. "What about Jack?"

"He's ill, mate. He-He-He's really bad."

"What do you mean?" Tooth asked, hovering anxiously. "I just saw him a couple minutes ago with you."

Sandy, though, knew exactly what he was talking about. He mimicked Jack coughing into a handkerchief with golden flicks around his mouth. "Wait, what, Sandy?" North asked.

"He's been coughing a lot, lately," Tooth explained.

He nodded his head eagerly, then pretended to stab himself and screaming in pain as golden sand poured out of his stomach, which he pointed to. Tooth's eyes widened. "He's been coughing up _blood?_" He nodded again.

"Yeah, and he has these-these _welts_ on his head. It looks pretty serious, mate. And there's these gashes in his back and a few of them are pretty infected," Bunny jumped in.

"And have you noticed he seems to get no sleep?" North put in. "And he always wobbles when walks? He is not the same as few weeks ago."

The other Guardians nodded their heads in agreement. "He never sits down. And he hates it when I touch him now, when _anybody _touches him. He flinched away from me when I saw him last week," she whispered.

"Maybe it's not hating you, but something happened?" Bunny suggested.

"What _did _happen all those weeks Jack was gone?" North demanded.

Sandy shrugged, as did Bunny.

"He said that he had gotten into a fight with a leprechaun," Tooth whispered, now realizing how ridiculous he had sounded.

"A leprechaun? Since when could a leprechaun give a bloody beating that badly?" Bunny demanded. "He's coughing up BLOOD for Christ's sake!"

"I thought he would have told you by now," an amused and all-too familiar voice said from behind them. The Guardians whirled around to see Pitch Black leaning against the railing, looking as cool and nonchalant as ever.

Bunny was the first to react; with a yell, he threw his boomerang at him. Pitch only raised an eyebrow, and didn't even bother moving out of the way. The boomerang flew right through him, leaving only a rippling hole in his chest, making all of the Guardians' eyes widen. "A complete waste of time if you ask me," Pitch said in a bored voice as it passed back threw him and back into Bunny's open hand. He then stood up straight, then stuck his arm into one of the pillars. It went right through the pillar. "I am only an apparition. I am not really here." He talked as he was speaking to two-year-olds.

"What do you want, Pitch?" Bunny snarled.

"Ooh, touchy," Pitch chuckled. "Anyway, I was just wondering why your poor little Jack hasn't told you why."

"Why w_hat, _Pitch?" North growled, putting a hand to his side, where he kept his sheathed swords.

"Well, the bleeding, the bruises, his eyes." He chuckled again. "They are quite pretty, you know. The color of a frozen lake," he said softly, staring out into space, as if seeing something that the others couldn't see. Then his head snapped back to the others. "But I prefer them when the whites of his eyes are red."

Tooth froze in midair. Her heart stood as still as a statue. "What?" she whispered.

"Have you ever noticed he has trouble sleeping?" Pitch asked, examining his long fingers. "Practically terrified of it—or me. Hard to tell the difference. His fear….it's so delicious." He licked his lips. "I almost miss him, to be truthful. It was so nice having….._company._"

"Pitch, you have four seconds to tell us what you are talking about or else!" North shouted.

"Or what?" he replied softly. "You'll shove a sword through me? Yes, well, I don't believe that will work, because, you see, I am transparent." North glared at him, but didn't say anything. "Well, you four aren't very much fun," Pitch frowned, looking at them. "I remember Jack yelling at me nonstop, struggling every moment. At least, until I showed him—what's the expression?—_whose boss_."

Tooth clasped her hand over her mouth, choking back a sob. "What have you done with Jack?" Bunny growled.

"Just lift up that new admirable hoodie of his, and I'm sure you'll know what I mean," he answered, smiling deviously.

His words echoed strangely in Tooth's head. _Just lift up that new admirable hoodie of his, and I'm sure you'll know what I mean. _That meant that he...that Pitch had...that Jack...Blood-red flashed before her eyes, all that she could see. Her thoughts became primal, small, short, half thought through. _ He touched him. He hurt him. __He hurt Jack.__ Pitch hurt Jack. _Cries for his blood roared in her ears, blocking out all sound and reason. With a strangled cry, Tooth dove for Pitch, her hands reaching for her neck. But she only passed through him. She gasped as she tumbled in free-fall for a couple seconds before righting herself up. "What have you done to Jack?!" she screamed. "Where is he?!"

"Oh, I believe he is in the same place you left him. And as for what I've done to him—" Pitch's grin grew wider as he began to fade away—"nothing I haven't done already."

The Guardians stared as only a wisp of smoke remained from where Pitch's apparition had been. Sandy was the first one to speak, or, sign. He pulled urgently at North's pants leg before flashing Jack above his head.

"You are right, we need to get to Jack," North said firmly.

But Toothiana was already gone; she flew down the stairs and into the right corridor to the blizzard outside, where Jack was kneeling down, inspecting the machine. A flood of relief filled her as she saw him, looking relaxed and at ease. But then Pitch's words floated back into her mind. _As for what I've done to him…nothing I haven't done already_. As she looked closer- _really_ close- she saw how tense he was, how his eyes flickered over his shoulder, as if he was fearful that something would sneak up behind him.

_Nothing I haven't done already._

"Jack!" she called, flying out into the falling snow.

"Hey, Tooth, can you tell North that I'm gonna need one of the yetis' help—"

"Take off your shirt," she blurted when she reached him, then instantly regretted it. _Don't be so blunt! _she scolded herself.

He froze for a second, then began to laugh as he stood up, dusting the snow off of his hands. "Hah, good one, Tooth."

"No, Jack, I'm serious," she insisted as the other Guardians stormed outside.

"Hey, you guys," Jack greeted, then frowned. "Sandy, what are you doing here?" he asked. "I thought only Tooth and Bunny were gonna be meeting us up here."

The sandman only shook his head and gestured for him to take his shirt off. "Jack, mate, we need you to take your clothes off," Bunny said, taking a step towards him.

"Whoa, whoa, now it was funny when Tooth said it, but now it's starting to get a little creepy," he said, taking a step back.

"Jack, Pitch was here and he said that—" North began, but stopped when Jack stumbled backwards, terror suddenly in his formerly dull eyes. The sudden change sent chills up and down Tooth's spine, lifting up the feathers on her arms and legs.

"Pitch? Pitch was here?" he asked fearfully, his eyes darting around as if the sinister figure was lurking in the mist.

"No, Jack, he's gone, mate. But he said that he—"

"What did he say?" Jack shouted suddenly. "What?! What did he say?! And you instantly believe what he says, huh?"

"Jack, no—" Tooth tried, reaching out to grab his arm, when he jumped away from her hand. "Jack, we're trying to help!" she cried, frustrated.

"Well, you're not," he hissed. "You want to know what happened? You wanta know what happened?"

Suddenly, Tooth began to think this was a very bad idea. "Jack, wait—" she started.

With a sudden fury, he grabbed the hem of both his hoodie and shirt and ripped them off, baring his arms and chest and neck. Sandy and Bunny stared in horror as Tooth screamed.

Ugly wounds and gashes and silver scars covered his chest and arms, looking as if it had been ripped out in chunks. Some were bleeding even at that moment. Yellowing bruises around his throat seemed to gleam on his extraordinarily pale skin. They barely covered the ugly black scar that ran across his thin neck. He was as skinny as could be, his ribs poking out like lumps on his side, the skin there discolored with what looked like internal bleeding. There was barely a spot left untouched.

He glared at them, his eyes frighteningly blank.

Tooth shook her head, whimpering, tears filling her eyes.

"You see why I didn't tell you?" he demanded as he pulled back on his clothes.

"Jack, you're _dying_, mate," Bunny said reproachfully, taking a cautious step towards him.

"I'm fine," he snarled, though his head was swimming in darkness. He shook his head angrily, and leaned on his staff for support.

The rest of the Guardians glanced at each other. At an invisible signal, they all turned into a huddle. Jack couldn't really care less; he was too busy concentrating on how to keep himself from falling to his feet. The ground beneath him was rolling in waves, tossing him back and forth.

Jack groaned, putting a hand to his head.

Suddenly, in the middle of their conversing, they heard a loud thud. North pulled out of the huddle, thinking that Jack had flown away, then gasped when he saw him sprawled in the snow, his body deathly still.

"Jack!" he cried, stumbling through the snow, trying to get to Jack. But Bunny was faster; he hopped through the snow quick as a rabbit and quickly scooped him up in his arms, making sure to be careful of his injuries.

"Jack!" Tooth screamed, diving for him. But North grabbed her from around the waist and held her tightly his chest as she struggled to be out of his grasp. "NO! Let me go, he needs me!" she pleaded, tear streaks running down her face.

"Jack? Jack, mate, wake up," Bunny whispered urgently, gently shaking him in his arms. The boy flopped limply in his arms, as lifeless as a doll. "Jack!" he said louder, then shouted, "Jack!"

By Tooth was sobbing uncontrollably, her body trembling in North's arms. Sandy covered his mouth with both hands, little gold tears running down his cheeks.

"We need to get him to the infirmary," North said urgently, turning back around. "Sandy, Tooth, go and tell the yetis to prepare surgery for him," he instructed, letting them go.

Tooth wiped her eyes, though still softly sobbing. She nodded, and they flew back inside.

"Come on, we need to get inside, too," Bunnymund grunted, starting hop back towards inside when North shook his head, holding out a thick arm to stop him.

"No. We need to evaluate wounds. See where he is hurt most."

"North, now is not the time!" Bunny cried. He held out Jack in his arms, his arms and legs limply swaying. "He is DYING, mate!"

"Bunny, I know what I am doing," he said firmly. "Lay him on ground. We need seeing on what we need work on first."

He glared at the huge man, but did as he asked, laying the boy in the snow. "Now, Sandy says he has been coughing blood," he murmured, kneeling besides him. "Internal bleeding?" he suggested, looking up at Bunny. "Yes, that would do it. Help me get shirt off." Together, they wrestled Jack's winter jacket, now stained with blood, and tossed it into the snow as they looked over his body.

Bunny covered his mouth, trying not to throw up at the sight of being so close to the injuries displayed on his chest, more gruesome close up. "Hold it in, Bunny," North growled as he looked over his torso. There were so many things wrong with his body that he didn't know which would cause him to pass out first. It could have been blood poisoning from the infected lash-marks, or the fact that he looked like he hadn't had any sleep in ages, or the bruising around his poking-out limbs.

"What about this?" the Easter Bunny suggested, parting the silver hair around the crown of Jack's head. The hair was dyed red towards the scalp, and looked like it had been attempted to be ripped out of his head. There were several lumps on his head that looked more than serious enough to cause a really bad concussion. Maybe enough to send his whole body into a shutdown, if whatever was happening in his internal parts didn't first.

North tried to follow his advice and not throw up, though not from the sight. The pain of seeing Jack so badly hurt and the realization that he didn't trust his fellow Guardians enough to tell him what happened made him sick to his stomach. He closed his eyes, trying to keep the tears that threatened to spill from doing so.

Suddenly, the body underneath his hands began to writhe around in the snow, a choked, gurgled cry escaping his mouth. "Jack!" Bunny bent down close to him. "Jack, mate, can you hear me?"

The ice spirit's eyes flickered to him, and then he began to scream. Terror was plain on his face. There was a mad look in his eyes that had replaced the blank. "Get away from me!" he screamed, throwing up his scabby arms as if to defend himself.

"Jack, it's us, mate—" Bunny tried, but Jack only yelled again.

"Stay away from me, Pitch!" he yelled, curling up into a ball.

"Pitch? What-?"

He gasped as Jack began to writhe again in the snow, that gurgling, choking noise back. His spasms were becoming almost violent as he shrieked out and called out a number of long obscenities. Not sure what to do and frightened at seeing him like this, they just sat and watched, hoping it would end soon. Then, after what seemed like hours, he went limp again, his eyes staring lifelessly up at the sky.

North choked back a sob. "Is….is he...?" he rasped.

Bunny put his large ear against his chest, then shook his head. "He's alive, mate," he breathed.

The Guardian almost got on his knees and began to pray for thanks. As it was, he began to cry. It was an odd sight, seeing such a big man cry over the small broken body underneath him.

"Hold in there, mate," Bunny whispered, putting a comforting arm on his back.

Santa nodded, hastily wiping at his eyes. "Yes, well, that head injury would do it," North confirmed, getting to his feet. Bunny hurriedly picked Jack back up, who was still unconscious. "Take him to the infirmary. The yetis should already know what to do."

"What about you?"

"I have to go get books. I haven't had to do this since….." The two of them winced at the last time one of them had been critically injured. But it hadn't been this bad. "And remind yetis that they are only trying to get blood back into him. We don't want to upset Jack further by working on him without his permission."

He nodded. "Got it." He whirled around and ran as fast as possible on two legs to the infirmary. The yetis and elves made a clear pathway for Bunny to run, making it a lot easier to get to the hospital wing. They looked on with grave faces, a few elves sniffling, a couple yetis bellowing sadly as they watched him run up the spiral staircases.

"I got him," he panted when he burst through the door.

"Bunny!" Tooth flew away from the chair that Sandy was trying to get her to sit in and up to him. He expected her to go up to him and throw her arms around his neck, or burst into tears about Jack. She surprised him by stopping right in front of him and slapping him across his rabbit face. He blinked at the sudden sting on his face. "Where the hell have you been!" she shouted, her face bright red from rage. "We've been waiting for half-an-hour while you took your sweet-ass time getting him up the stairs! I bet you're _trying _to make sure he dies! Always jealous of him, always making fun of him, _you're _the reason he didn't tell us what happened you asshole!" she screamed. He blinked, more astonished if anything. He had never seen Tooth as angry and rabid as this. The tooth fairy had always kept up the peaceful, if not super-bubbly, and kind presence, only showing fury during battle. But never this much fire and rage. And never directed at _him._

Sandy grabbed her hand and dragged her back before she could dive for his neck. He flashed the rabbit an apologetic look as he forced her to sit down. She did so grudgingly, though continued to glare at the bunny.

He shook his head to clear it, then laid him gently on the white linen sheets, and gently closed his eyes with a paw. Then he turned to the yetis. "North said that we just have to try and pump in enough oxygen and blood to get him conscious again," he told them. "He thinks blood loss is one of the reasons."

Sandy raised an eyebrow and a question mark formed above his head. "He has a concussion and some internal bleeding," he explained. "But we can't do anything until he's conscious, so that he decides what he wants."

"What the hell do you mean _decides what he wants?! _He is _dying _for Man in Moon's sake!" Tooth cried, though she didn't move from her chair. "What the fuck else would he want?!"

"Tooth!" North said reproachfully as he entered the room.

"Sorry, North," she muttered.

He sighed. "I think you, Bunny, and Sandy should get some rest. Go drink some tea. Rest for a bit. It has been very stressful today."

"But I want to stay," she protested, tears wallowing in her eyes again. "I have to make sure that he's alright, that he's not gonna—"

"He will not, Tooth," he said firmly. "I promise."

She took a deep breath, then glance at Jack, who was beginning to be worked on by the yetis. Then she whipped her head back to them, a gleam that noticeably hardened her soft violet eyes. "You better," she growled. "Or I will find Pitch and rip him limb from limb if he dies."

"I think, no matter what our oaths, mate, we'll do that," Bunny agreed.

* * *

Jack sat alone in the fog, wondering what the hell was going on.

He was sitting on a tree stump without his shirt or hoodie, though he did have his staff. The fog was surprisingly nice and cool on his chest. This led him to find out that all of his injuries had mysteriously vanished. Even the scratches that had been from being too reckless while playing had vanished. He walked around and jumped and thought coherent thoughts, not thinking irrationally. He would have gone off and explored, but something kept on telling him to wait at the tree stump.

So he did.

And to be frank, he was getting kind of bored.

So to pass the time, he went over what happened before he was magically transported to here. "Okay, so I was at the North Pole, and they said Pitch was there," he mused, not even wincing on his name. It was like all of the pain and hurt that he had suffered the last month had suddenly just….been swept away. He decided not to mull on the fact, sure that they would come back if he did. "Then I told them what happened, and then…" He tried to remember what had occurred next, but his brain couldn't recollect anything from there on forward. There had been snow on his face; had he passed out?

He sighed, tapping his staff against the grass. Suddenly, he heard something. No, it was more like _feeling _something_. _Something calling to him. Curious, Jack stood up and looked around. "Hello?" he called out into the fog. He squinted through the thick mist, and then spotted a figure. It was tall, with a cloak billowing around him. He felt a shiver go through him. _Pitch?_

Something curled around his face, and gently pulled him to his feet. He could almost feel it wanting to take him to the mysterious figure in the fog. Jack hesitated, then decided that, wherever he was, he could stand a chance against anyone, even Pitch. He was on his guard, he was ready. He could beat him.

Taking a deep breath, he began to walk towards the figure, his staff held firmly in both hands, pointed at the mysterious figure in the fog.

_Peace, child. _Jack froze when he heard the voice in his head. The figure raised a hand. _I mean you no harm. I only call you to me because I need you_.

"Wh-Wh-Who are you?" Jack stuttered aloud, creeping closer.

_I go by many name_s. _Artemis, Diana, Ealadha, and Meness to the Europeans._" The figure extended one hand to the side._ Ta'lab, Sin, Nikkal, and Selardi to the Near East. _It gestured to the other side with its other hand._ Chup Kamui, Soma, Chandra, and Bulan to the Far East. Jaci, Pah, Alignak, and Coniraya to the Americas._ It held up both hands, then spread them wide. _But in your world, they have but one name for me…._

Jack eyes widened as he saw the face underneath the hood. "Man in Moon," he whispered.

His staff fell to the ground with a soft thud.

_Jack Overland Frost. How good it is to see you_.

The ice spirit swallowed. "What—what is this?" he croaked.

_An intervention. _MiM reached out with one hand and gently laid his hand on his nose. Jack's eyes went cross-eyed trying to look at it. _I am here to send you back to your world. _He gently took his hand back._ May you have a safe journey for recovery._ MiM turned around and began to walk away. Then he stopped, hesitating, then glanced over his shoulder to Jack. _I am sorry for not saving you in time from Pitch._

Jack shrugged. "You saved me. That's all that matters."

_But not soon enough_, he murmured.

He opened his mouth, not sure what to say, or do, but then everything fell away from him. Jack gasped as the ground under him vanished, then began to scream as he started to fall.

* * *

"How is heartbeat?" North asked as he burst back into the room after rushing to go get the antibiotics for Jack after they had finished pumping the blood into him. He was going to have a nasty headache if he woke up.

_When,_ North corrected as he slammed the box on the table next to him. Jack was breathing unsteadily into his oxygen mask, his eyelids fluttering, but never quite opening. But he looked good; though he remained as pale as a sheet, he seemed to swell a little bit, the parts where he was mostly just skin and bones getting a little bit wider.

One of the yetis roared an answer. "Good, good." The man sat next to Jack in one of the visiting chairs and lifted one of his thin arms and gently felt his pulse without pressing too hard. Sure enough, it was there, a little bit off-beat, but it felt strong and true in his fingers.

He carefully laid it back down, then turned to Bunny, who had rejoined him after able to get the other two Guardians to go to sleep. "What were you able to get from X-rays?" he asked as Bunny looked over the sheet of paper a yeti just handed him.

"It's not good, mate," he replied, handing him the paper. "A broken pelvis, broken ribs, a bruised sternum, a torn rectum, left arm broken, both of his ankles are sprained, though they're almost done healing up, several skull fractures, not to mention that one of his ribs have pierced his lungs. And then all them wounds…" he trailed off. "How in the hell are we going to fix this kid up before he dies?"

"I do not know, Bunny. But we have time," he said firmly. "We have time to bring old Jack back if we just try."

"But there's practically no hope for him, North!" Bunny cried. "Look at all of this!" He pointed at the paper. "We have to clean and disinfect his lashes, then we have to fix all of the broken body parts AND internal bleeding—! We don't have enough time, mate!"

North whirled around to face him. "Bullshivik," he growled. "He has been able to hold on for weeks, and we can fix him in one if we start trying."

"But what if we don't?" Bunny demanded. "Then what? What if we don't have enough time?"

"Of course we—"

"North." They stared at each other, eye to eye. Bunny swallowed, then began in a soft voice, "He's barely held on as it is. I still don't know why he didn't tell us or ask for help, but whatever the reason, from not telling us he's wasted valuable time. And I think it's too late for us to help him."

"But Bunny—"

"Do you think I want Tooth to remember Jack like this, mate?" he said softly, gesturing to the broken body laying besides him. "That Sandy won't be able to give proper good dreams because this is haunting his? That….that the last words I said to him barely concerned his safety?" He shook his head. "But I don't want him to be in pain anymore, mate. Jack's suffered enough from Pitch. Moon knows what he did to him, but whatever it was…" He took a deep breathe, clearly in conflict inside himself. "I think it's better if we end it."

"What?" North gasped. "You want—you want us to kill him?"

"Not kill him, mate! But….to put him in an induced coma or something, to keep the pain away, at least until the end."

"Bunny, we cannot do that to him!" North protested. "We should wait until he wakes—"

"But what if he never wakes up?!" he yelled, finally losing his patience. "He has SEVERAL head injuries, a PUNCTURED lung by one of his _thirteen_ BROKEN ribs—! Not mention whatever else happened to him! He, mate, has experience more pain than you and I have ever felt in a lifetime COMBINED! Tell me, what would YOU want to do, mate?! What would YOU do?"

North didn't say anything as Bunny glared at him. Though the last thing North wanted to do was put Jack to sleep, he had to admit that he could see where Bunny was coming from. He would want the same thing, if the chance of recovery, or even surviving, were so slim.

Reluctantly, he nodded . "Fine. We….we shall give him peace."

"NO!" The two Guardians barely had time to react before an enraged and hysterical fairy burst through the doors. "No! No, you can't do this to Jack, North!" she cried, flying up to him, her face covered from tears.

"Toothiana, there is little else we can do to help him," he said sadly, shaking his head. "He…..he would want to be at peace. We can give him that if we just—"

"How do we know he won't survive? That he might wake up in an hour or two? We need to give him a chance!"

"Tooth—" Bunny tried.

"Jack is strong. He's a fighter! He'll pull out of this if we just wait!"

Suddenly, a gasp filled the room. The three Guardians whirled around to see Jack's back arching, his eyes wide open. "Jack!" Tooth few to his side grasped one of the hands that were fisted deeply in the bedspread. His back fell back to the bed, his chest heaving. "Jack? Jack, can you hear me?" she whispered, pushing back his snowy-white hair to see his face.

He turned his head to her, and she stifled a cry. His eyes, instead of having irises and pupils, had full-moon orbs in them. They stared at her, taking in all of her face. She felt them pour into her soul and dig through her most buried secrets and pains. But the only thing that she could think was, _This is not Jack._ He opened his mouth and began to speak through the oxygen mask. "_Nolite timere, mea pretioso Custodibus_," he said in a voice that was not his own. Tooth felt shivers go down her back."_Ego vigilabo super eum. Omnia bene_." Then he closed his eyes, and turned his head back again. Tooth stared in bewilderment.

"Tooth? Tooth, what was that?" Bunny demanded.

She shook her head, her mouth dry. "I-I-I don't know."

"Do you know what he said?" North asked.

"Umm…_do not fear, my precious Guardians. I am watching over him. All is well_," she translated shakily.

North frowned. "It sounds like Manny was speaking through Jack."

Tooth looked down at him, and smoothed his hair back again. "He wants us to keep him alive," she whispered, a giddy feeling running through her. "He wants us to not give up."

North and Bunny glanced at each other, then they nodded. "We won't give up, Tooth," North promised, laying a hand on her shoulder. She fought to blink away tears as she looked up at him. "We promise."

"Aye, mate. We're not giving up on Jack," Bunny swore, getting down next to her and smiling at her.

Suddenly, Sandy flew in, and flashed the thumbs up, signaling that he had heard what had just happened, and agreed with it. Then he took North's hand and smiled. He grinned as he took Bunny's hand, who sneaked his paw into Tooth's free one and squeezed it reassuringly. She felt the corners of her lips turning up as she turned to him. Her chest swelled with pride and love filled as she gazed upon her friends, as well as a deep sense of relief. They would always be there for her, even in the roughest of times.

As all of the Guardians held each other's hands, the moon shone done through the skylight, illuminating them in all of their glory. They all shone a gently white color, making them seem godly, Jack the most of all. His snow-white hair glowed silver, his pale skin faintly shining. _He looked beautiful, _Tooth thought, wanting to reach out to touch him.

The window gently opened, and two single snowflakes gently glided from the sky, twirling in midair down towards them. Tooth blinked as one gently landed on her nose, then relaxed as a type of peace entered her.

'_Nolite timere, filia mea. Ego vigilabo super eum,' _a gentle voice whispered in her head.

"_Ego sum nolite timere. Sit apud vos,_" she heard herself reply, looking up at the moon, and smiled.

He almost seemed to smile back.

* * *

Hmm...not one of my best...but oh well! Oh, and here's the translation for the last two things between Tooth & Man In Moon(I thought it would be nice if he communicated with his Guardians)

_Nolite timere, filia mea. Ego vigilabo super eum:_ Fear not, my daughter. I will watch over him.

_Ego sum nolite timere. Sit apud vos._ : I am not afraid. He is with you.

Latin's always been one of my favorite languages, especially since it's a dead language. Makes it all the more special. :D

Please review!


	13. Bring Me Peace

Happy Friday, everybody! :D

Well, I have nothing else to say except I hope you enjoy this unfortunately short chapter.

I own nothing.

* * *

Jack felt something soft tickle his ear. Slightly confused, he blinked his eyes. Whatever it was, it was white. He couldn't make out details through his hazy vision. He tensed, suddenly fearing that Pitch had somehow captured him again. But then, why did he feel so comfortable?

Soft, warm blankets laid on his chest, tucked neatly under his armpits. He was wearing different clothes from earlier. He was in a warm cotton shirt and fleece pants. Though he felt somewhat stiff and sore, each breath causing him to silently wince from a sharp jab in his side, pain flaring in the same areas as before, he felt that he didn't feel as quite empty as before. And the pounding in his head had slightly reduced.

Jack wondered about this, the feeling of lessened pain, then stiffened again when he felt something shift in his hand. Hesitantly, he turned his head, then his eyes widened when he saw that it was Tooth.

She was sitting in a chair that was pressed up against his bed, leaning over it so that half of her torso was lying on the bed next to him. Her hands were wrapped tightly around Jack's right one, her fingers relaxed, but he could tell she had to restrain herself from clutching it too tight. Her face was nestled in the pillows, her eyelids fluttering with every gentle snore.

He didn't relax, though. He couldn't remember anything from last night at all. He could only remember leaving with Bunny to the North Pole, then there was an argument...about something...then it was all black. The muscles in his chest constricted. What if Pitch came to the North Pole and took him? What if this was one of his tricks? It would be just like him to lure him into a false sense of security with a dream of comfort, to even go as far to put a sleeping Tooth next to him, and make him believe he was safe before having him wake up in Pitch's cruel dungeon. He had done it before. It was his way of saying, _Guess what? You're still here with me. And I will always have you. You cannot escape me. You are _mine.

Tooth suddenly frowned in her sleep, and her fingers curled against Jack's. The fairy opened one eye, then both flew open as she saw pale blue eyes gazing back. "Jack," she breathed, propping herself on to her elbows, and a big smile came on to her face. "You're awake."

His eyes flickered to her face. It seemed so real…but then again, so did the nightmares. "I was so worried that…that you wouldn't wake up," she confessed. "I was so afraid that you were dead."

"Well, I'm not," he replied shortly. "Where am I?"

"In the infirmary. We've been trying to make up for the blood loss," she explained. "And probably give you a couple surgeries if you're up to it."

He didn't reply; he was still watching her warily, starting to become more and more confused. This had to be some kind of trick. But even with the dreams, there was always something off about the characters. But this Tooth- dream-Tooth - seemed to be as genuine as can be. _He's probably gotten better at thinking her up,_ he thought bitterly.**  
**

She didn't notice his conflicting emotions. "And I'm glad that you're alive, too," she murmured, reaching out with one hand tentatively to touch his cheek.

He flinched away from her hand, earning a startled look from her. "Jack, what's wrong?" she asked in her motherly-hen voice, pulling her arm back.

Jack narrowed his eyes. "Nothing," he said, his voice coming out little bit harsher than he had anticipated.

She blinked, leaning back. "Jack, are you okay?"

"I'm fine," he snapped, looking the other way, trying to ignore her hurt stare. _It's only a dream, it's not the real her, it's only a dream, it's not the real her_…..

Then, he heard her suck in a quick breath. _Please let this nightmare be over soon, _he begged, "Jack, look at me," she said, her voice suddenly stern. He didn't reply. "_Jack_." He squeezed his eyes tight. He felt soft fingers curl underneath his chin and yanked his face gently back to hers.

He felt his breathe catch when he looked into her amethyst eyes. They were beautiful, just like in real life. They sparkled in the light from the open skylight from above, catching on every crinkle in her iris, like a stained glass. They flickered with a powerful light, something that could reach into the deepest seas, fill the biggest shadows.

It had to be her.

"Jack, I don't know what Pitch did to you, and I'm not sure if I want to," she admitted, noticing him flinch at the name, "but you're _safe_ now. Sandy, North, and even Bunny are here. They want to keep you safe from Pitch. He will never be able to breach these walls, no matter how many nightmares he brings. He will not even _touch _you," she swore fiercely. "I swear on every single tooth I have collected, on every single memory collected in them that Pitch will never hurt you again. _Promitto._" For a second, she hesitated, then held up her hand and pressed it to her heart in an oath, a nervous, but true smile on her face.

Sometime during her speech, his hands had begun to tremble. They wouldn't stop, even after she had finished. She noticed, and gently closed her hands over his. He looked up to her, feeling like as if this was in a dream. Not a nightmare. Something that would bring him peace after one.

A startling realization made him blink. She was his Guardian. The thought made him feel strange, then flooded into his bosom with almost a sense of relief. For once, he had someone he could lean on, someone who would protect him. He didn't have to be alone anymore.

Jack put his trembling hands over hers and gently brought them down into his lap. "I know you won't," he whispered. "But…..every time I move, every time I _breath_…it's just a constant reminder of what Pitch…" he trailed off, unwilling to remember the flow of constant pain.

"What did he do?" she whispered. He shook his head, unable to speak. He felt that if he tried, he would immediately start throwing up the little food he had been able to keep down. "Jack, you have to tell us so that we can help you."

"You can't," he said hoarsely, shaking his head. "No one can."

She hesitated, then put a soft hand on his uninjured cheek and gently caressed it. He closed his eyes and leaned into her palm. "Maybe not, Jack. At least, not mentally. But we can help you heal….." Her fingertips danced from one cheek to another, lightly brushing against one of the scratches of his face, sending a shiver down his back. Then she drew her hand back and gave him a soft smile. "At least physically, anyway." When he didn't reply, she tilted her head to the side. "Have you forgotten how to smile?" she demanded.

He couldn't help but grin, the corners of his lips turning up of their own accord. "That's it," she laugh, pinching one of his cheeks. He rolled his eyes and pried her hand away from his cheek. She laughed again, earning a chuckle from him. _Of course, only Tooth could make me smile and laugh in less than thirty seconds, _he thought as he handed her back her hand.

They sat there, giggling like schoolchildren, then sighed and fell quiet. The silence was almost awkward between them. "Do you want me to grab the others?" Tooth finally asked. "They're really worried about you."

"I know," he sighed, then glanced at her and joked, "North's probably yapping at the yetis to make my coffin in fluent Russian."

Even though it wasn't funny, she laughed anyway. "Don't worry, I'll remind him to make it entirely out of ice," she said as she fluttered away from him and towards the door.

"Don't forget, I want snowflakes on it!" he called as she closed the door behind her. He could hear her giggling on the other side of the wall. With a feeling of satisfaction, he leaned back in his bed and patiently waited for the rest of the Guardians to arrive.

He didn't have to wait long. Less than a minute later, the door swung open almost violently, slamming into the wall beside it. "Jack! You are awake!" North cried, spreading his arms wide as if to hug him as he entered the room, Bunny and Sandy close behind him.

"Hey, North," Jack greeted, waving almost guiltily. The memories of what happened earlier was starting to come back and was beginning to feel bad to the way he acted towards the other Guardians out in the snow. He knew that they were only trying to help.

"Glad you're finally awake, mate," Bunny told him as he leaned against the bedpost. "Gave us a scare out there."

"I know, I know, and I'm sorry," he sighed. "And I know I should have told you guys earlier, but I didn't want to worry you—"

"Jack, you are Guardian. You are one of us," North interrupted, sitting in one of the chairs right beside his bed. He looked Jack into his eyes. "We care very deeply for you, Jack. We will be there always for you."

"No matter what, mate," Bunny added.

Sandy nodded his head, and floated up to Jack's other side and wrapped his short, thick arms around his throat. The sand was extraordinarily soft, feeling more like feathered pillows against his skin instead of millions of small, coarse pieces of rock. The comparison was comforting to him, and he didn't hesitate to lean into him, wrapping his own arms around his body. The other Guardians watched as the two Guardians embraced. There was something simply beautiful and heartwarming about it that should not be interrupted.

Suddenly, the sandman jumped away from Jack, blinking in terror at his arms. Tooth shrieked, covering her mouth with both hands. A thick layer of black sand covered them, looking strange and abnormal on his golden skin. "Что это?!" North gasped. "What is this?!"

"Sandy, mate—" Bunny reached for him, but the sandman held up a hand to stop him and shook his arms. The sand fell away easily to the floor in a small pile. The other Guardians sighed in relief. Except Jack.

He stared at the pile of sand in horror. _I'll always be with you, Jack_. The voice that Jack had been trying to push away for days, the voice that haunted his sleep and drove him to madness during the day, was now echoing as clear day in his head. Almost as if he was there.

_I'm always here. If not around you, then in you_, Pitched hissed.

A sort of burning began in his chest. Jack started panting heavily. "Jack, are you all right?" North asked. But he didn't hear him. His mind was racing, soaring—no, it was pounding. He groaned, and clutched at his head, his fingers tearing at his hair. Sweat bead were dripping down his forehead, running down the bridge of his nose and the sides of his face.

_I will always be here, Jack. You can never escape me._

"Jack, what's wrong, mate?" Bunny put a paw on his shoulder, but he flinched away from him. No, it wasn't flinching. He scrambled to the other side of the bed, away from his paw, as if it was some type of poisonous snake.

"I…I-I have to get out of here," he gasped, throwing his covers off.

"Jack, I don't think that's a good idea—" Tooth started, alarmed, but the blood roaring in his ears blocked out all sound.

He swung his feet over the side of the bed and leaped to his feet. His ankles, calves, and thighs screeched in protest, but he ignored it. "You don't—you don't understand," he panted, stumbling a few feet. He was trembling worse than a lone leaf in the wind. "I…..I have to—I have to get out." The room swirled before his eyes. He could feel himself convulsing violently. "He-He-He's _here. _Pitch is—I have to—"

His eyes rolled into the back of his head, and he swayed where he stood before crumpling to the ground. "Jack!" Tooth cried. North hurried over and swooped him up in his arms and laid him back into the bed. "Jack! Jack, man, can you hear me?" he whispered.

Flashes of pain traveled up and down his body. He groaned and arched his back as one in particular in his back almost seemed to burn into his spine. He felt as if he was underwater, a heavy weight over his body, pressing him down, blurring the others' words. Jack's heart pounded against his chest. Memories of his death flooded back to him, mixing with the painful memories of Pitch. He gasped loudly, arching his back to the point where it might break. He felt pressure on his hips, trying to push him down. _Stay still!_ Pitch had snarled, when he had forced him down, that first time, when he had…...

A scream tore itself from his throat at the sheer memory. The familiar burning pain in his rectum flared up again, sending white-hot agony through his veins.

_Jack! _

That wasn't Pitch's voice.

_Jack! _

That wasn't Emma either, thought it was feminine.

_Jack, please_. _Wake up. _

Jack's eyes fluttered open, his pupils dilated so much that his irises were just a thin ring, barely visible. The first thing he saw was a bright flurry of colors and feathers. He immediately relaxed. _Tooth. _

Her own face relaxed when she saw his eyes open, though they stared wonderingly at his pupils. "You're okay," she whispered.

"I don't feel like it," he rasped. He glanced around the room, and saw that they were the only ones. "What happened to the others?" he asked.

Tooth leaned back, hesitating. "They…..they thought it would be best if I handled you….by myself."

"Ah." _So_ _the judgment begins_, Jack thought.

She must have sensed what he was thinking and said hurriedly, "It's not because they think bad of you. It's just because they hate seeing in you so much pain. It's hard to bear, when you see the person you—" She stopped suddenly, blinking.

"Person you what?" Jack pressed.

Tooth shook her head. "Nothing. But I think what you need to do is sleep."

"I can't," he sighed. "I have nightmares, remember?"

"Oh yeah. I had forgotten about that."

Jack stared at her. She was really lovely. He couldn't really imagine her as a human. The colorful plumage and delicate wings looked natural on her, illuminating her, almost. As her beautiful voice did, as well. He remembered the nights he would try and sleep, and the only thing that would keep away the nightmares was her beautiful voice.

Jack hesitated, then asked, "Will you stay with me?"

She blinked in surprise. "What?"

_Sometimes, in the smallest moments of life, you will have to use the most amount of bravery._ Jack took a deep breath, then haltingly reached out for her hand. She slipped her fingers into his, making him bolder. "Your music box was the only thing that kept them away," he whispered. "But no offense, but it wasn't as good as the real thing," he said wryly. She chuckled. "And I was just hoping that," he continued, "maybe I could have it, if only for tonight. Just until—"

Tooth pressed her finger against his lips, silencing him. Without speaking, she lifted up his covers and slid into bed with him. He watched her with wide eyes, hardly believing that this was happening. She pulled the covers up and reached over and turned off the lamp. Though they were in darkness, he could easily see her outline, which was scooting towards him before sliding her arms around him. He flinched at her feathered touch, but gradually eased into them, thankful for their softness. She laid him down, letting him lean against as her as she sat upright against the bedpost.

"Thank you," he whispered.

"Shh," was all she said.

Gentle fingers ran themselves through his hair, feeling absolutely wonderful. As soft as feathered pins, they flickered over his scalp, making sure to avoid the bumps on his head. "Do you want me to sing to you?" she murmured.

At first, he didn't hear her. He was still amazed at his current positioned. Laying against the tooth fairy, his arms wrapped around her waist, his head laying in her lap, he was snuggled against her as if he was a child. He had never been so close to her before. And the thought was wonderful. "Yes please," he whispered.

She cleared her throat , then began in a soft, slow voice,

"_I remember tears streaming down your face  
__When I said, 'I'll never let you go'.  
__When all those shadows almost killed your light…"_

Jack tensed at the reminder. Tooth gently caressed his cheek, making soft, shushing noises, and he relaxed back again.

"_I remember you said, 'Don't leave me here alone'.  
__But all that's dead and gone and passed tonight…._

_Just close your eyes.  
__The sun is going down.  
__You'll be alright.  
__No one can hurt you now.  
__Come morning light,  
__You and I'll be safe and  
__Sound…."_

Jack sighed, twining his fingers in her feathers. "I wish…." he murmured. Tooth didn't respond, though she did hold him tighter, pulling him closer to him, squishing any space between them into nonexistence. He glanced up at her, and, though they were in darkness, he could see her smiling. He smiled back and laid his head back down.

"_Don't you dare look out your window,  
__Darling, everything's on fire.  
__The war outside our door keeps raging on.  
__Hold on to this lullaby  
__Even when the music's gone…."_

"_Just close your eyes,  
__The sun is going down.  
__You'll be alright,  
__No one can hurt you now.  
__Come morning light  
__You and I'll be safe and  
__Sound…"_

Jack closed his eyes, listening to the gentle sound of her humming and feeling the gentle touch of her fingers on his cheek. Her soft voice was beginning to lull him. He could feel sleep crawling on to the edges of his mind, pulling him down. But for once, he didn't feel a sense of fear for what would come to him during his dreams.

He had Tooth.

Tooth felt Jack sag in her arms, and knew he had fallen asleep. She didn't stop, though. She continued on,

"_Just close your eyes  
__You'll be alright  
__Come morning light,  
__You and I'll be safe and sound..."_

She let her voice trail off, the sound ringing into nothingness into the silence of the room. She sat there for a while, not wanting to wake him. He just seemed so peaceful, asleep in her arms. If she wasn't afraid of what the others would say, she would be content to be there with him all night.

But she knew she couldn't. With a sigh, she slipped from under him, one hand cradling his head and the other against his side. She gently laid him down in the bed and brought the covers up to his shoulders, tucking it around his chest and under his arms. He didn't stir while she fixed him up, then stepped back to see her handiwork.

He was lying on his side, his hands pressed together under his cheek. White hair fell into his eyes, framing his face almost adorably. His face was relaxed, more relaxed than she had seen in ages. She leaned forward and drew her fingertips along his cheek, smiling. His skin was as soft as always, no matter how bruised or scarred it was. Like a baby's skin.

On a sudden whim, she leaned over and brushed her lips against his forehead. A gentle sigh escaped his lips, and one corner of his mouth turned up. Just one. But it was still a beautiful smile.

Her own smile grew even wider. Oh, how she would have given all the teeth in the world to have stayed with him that night. But she knew she couldn't.

Tooth straightened up and quietly flew out of the room. Just before she closed the door behind her, though, she glanced over her shoulder at his sleeping figure. He was engulfed in a white light, shining down from the skylight. She could see the moon, lingering just in view. _Please bring him peace, _she begged silently. The answer came back unexpectedly, echoing in her mind just as she closed the door.

_You already did. _

The song that I imagine for this was Safe & Sound, of course, by Taylor Swift. But I rather think that Julia Sheer did a better job with it. NOT that I'm hating on Taylor!

Please review.


	14. The Pains of Confessions

I was just review-spammed by a guest reader named Frostbite. Weird, but appreciated. ^.^

Oh, and I have a question for Raven: Do you happen to be a Harry Potter fan? Because if so, then I immediately respect and admire and worship you. :D

Um, what else? Uh, I _think _I made the basketball team, but I won't know until Monday. I'm so scared. /.\

I own nothing.

* * *

Two days had passed since Jack had been brought in, and Tooth could easily see the difference between Jack before and Jack now. He was no longer trying to hide his pain, or trying to assure everybody that he was alright, that nothing was wrong; she guessed that it was because that they now knew that everything was _not _okay, that he was _not _alright. There was no use in pretending anymore. But he refused to allow them to work on his injuries, insisting that they would heal on their own. Nor would he tell them what had happened between him and Pitch. Even though they knew that Jack could die from them being untreated, though, they respected his decision and left him alone, and instead focused on trying to make him eat. He cooperated willingly, and they tried all sorts of foods special-made by . But each and every time, he would immediately throw it up less than a couple minutes later, as if his stomach was too curdled with disgust to even try and process any food.

For the first time, she actually saw how deeply scarred Jack had been from whatever happened. Each time he drifted off to sleep, which would be four to five times a day(something the Guardians worried about- what if he never woke up?), he would wake up and hour or so later, screaming at the top of his lungs, writhing around in the bed so violently that she feared that he was going to break something. It would take the strength of both Bunny and North combined to try and pin him down, and even then, sometimes Tooth or the sandman had to pitch in. Even though nobody would mention them after they had occurred, Bunny or North always hovered by Jack when he happened to have fallen asleep, ready to keep him from hurting himself.

Then, during the day, he would attempt to be his normal self, and make a joke or two, but they were dry and humorless, and more than often would just stare out into space, taking deep, shuddering breaths. Tooth could see that he was forcing himself not to space out and become lost in another flash. They were often worse than his nightmares. He would just stare at an object, then he would start convulsing terribly, each cough wracking his body, blood spattering his mouth and landing on the starch-white covers as his pupils eclipsed his irises. He would make no sounds or signs for help, nor could the other Guardians try; he was in a place so far away from them, and no matter what they did, nothing could bring him back. He would be gone in that place for a couple minutes at first, but then, as time wore on, so did the time he spent in there. Minutes stretched into hours, and Tooth often found herself losing feathers as she watched him mentally leave her. For the first time in over a thousand years, Tooth felt...helpless.

_Maybe if he just _told _me what had happened I could help him, _she had thought in frustration after he had refused to talk to her after another horrible dream.

Perhaps had MiM seen her frustration, and had broken Jack down a little inside, because one day, after he had woken up from a nightmare, he had finally broken down.

"Pitch…" he tried, but his voice cracked. He swallowed, trying to flush the images from his last nightmare down the mental drain as he looked up at Tooth. But they flooded back through his gates, and again he could see her falling...falling into a sea of fire... "Get the others in here," he rasped, his voice low and colder than he had wanted it to be. "I…I-I need to tell them what happened."

"Okay. I'll send in one of the yetis to watch you." She stood up, then leaned over and gently kissed his forehead before flittering out of the room. Phil then shambled into the room, waving at Jack. He attempted to grin at the yeti, but the muscles in his face weren't working right, and he ended up making an odd sort of grimace at him. He sighed and closed his eyes, trying to find that momentary peace between sleep and awareness.

"He's awake!" The words were blurted from Tooth's mouth as soon as she threw open the doors of North's office.

The other three Guardians looked up from something on the table. "What? He is awake?" North demanded, leaning away from the others, an incredulous look on his face.

She nodded eagerly. "Yes, he just woke up. He had this really bad nightmare, but I think he's ready. He seemed a bit strange, though."

"What do you mean, really strange?" Bunny asked, raising a furry eyebrow.

"He…I don't know. Just the way he was looking at me, and he seemed so cold. But I think I got him back. And…he's ready to tell us what happened."

They exchanged glances. "Well, we don't want to keep the frostbite waiting, now do we, mates?" Bunny said in the most cheerful voice he could manage, though everybody could hear the strain in his voice. But they just went back up to the infirmary.

Jack was propped up against the bedpost, staring at the plate of cookies and a cup of milk just lying on the table next to him. He looked up at the sound of feet.

"Bunny. Sandy. North," he rasped when he saw them, grinning slightly, though the motion just made him resemble a grinning skull.

"Jack," North greeted, pulling a chair out next to his bed and sat in it. He took one of the cookies from the tray and handed it to Jack. He hesitated, then took it with a trembling hand. He examined it curiously before taking a bite out of it. He chewed it for a while, then his face puckered; hastily, he grabbed a bucket that was lying beside his bed and vomited into it.

North stared as he pulled his head out, his face sickly green. Nobody had EVER gotten sick from his cookies! Not ever! They were the best of the best, purely homemade, even baked with actual love! And if Jack couldn't even hold _that_ down…...no wonder he was so skinny.

"Are you okay, mate?" Bunny asked, laying his paw on Jack's shoulder.

He nodded. "Yeah. I-I'm ready to do this." Tooth gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. Sandy perched himself on above Jack's head post and ruffled his hair affectionately.

"We're all here for you Jack," Tooth whispered.

"I know." He took a deep breath. "I was out in Burgess one night, working on my house when I saw a Nightmare. I didn't have my staff, so I couldn't stop it when it dragged me down into the forest. It-It pulled me down a hole, down into—into Pitch's lair."

He shuddered. North laid a huge hand on his shoulder comfortingly. Jack jumped at the touch, but didn't move away. "You can stop if you want to, Jack," he told him.

"No." He took a deep breath. "I need to do this. H-He tried to strangle me until he heard w-what he wanted. Then he chained me up. He whipped me. It had little…little spikey things on the whip so that it ripped out more flesh." He shuddered as he wrapped his arms around himself. "Then he…..he stabbed me. All along my chest. He even….he even ripped it across my chest and-and-and down my back."

Tooth lifted her hand up to touch him, but restrained herself when she remembered how he shied away from touch. Bunny noticed her, though, and whispered in her ear, "Go fetch the mugs on the counter. I made some tea for you two."

She nodded, and hastily got up from her chair and hurried down the hall. She came to the kitchen that looked like what she had imagined a chef's in a fancy restaurant. The yetis were preparing various dinners, a couple wearing chef hats who roared to people. Tooth supposed that they were the head cooks; she flew up to one.

"Excuse me, where would the drinks that Bunnymund made be at?" she asked hurriedly. He pointed at the counter across the row from him. "Okay, thank you!" Tooth flew over there and picked up the tray that each had a decorative cover on it. It didn't surprise her; North had made each Guardian one.

Hers had teeth against a pale green-and-white background and in a shape of a tooth. Bunny's was a large Easter egg, colors and all. Sandy had a regular-looking mug that had a peaceful night and a calm shore with sparkling golden sand. North's own mug was extraordinarily plain compared to the others, it looked like it could've been bought at Wal-Mart. It had gingerbread men-and-houses dancing with candy canes.

Then she noticed the fifth cup. She would have also called it plain, covered with snowflakes and a winter wonderland on it if it weren't for the fact that it was in the shape of an ice flake, the center being the mug, and the icy branches serving as handles. It was beautifully made, cut with precise precision. She drew her thumb along the cup, remembering the snowflake that he had showed her from Karaoke Night.

Just then, she caught a sweet scent coming from the cups. Curious, she leaned over and sniffed them. Most them seemed like regular SleepyTime tea, but as she smelled the last one, Jack's, it was….different. It had a minty scent, but also the smell of something heavy.

_Probably added too much spice_, she thought as she carried it out of the kitchen and back up the hall. She hesitantly opened the door to Jack's room in the infirmary.

"Jack, how did you ever get out of there?" she heard Bunny say in horror as she timidly flittered in. She tried to close the door as quietly as possible, but as soon it clicked shut, Jack glanced up. His eyes met hers. She didn't know whether to look away or just pretend that she hadn't noticed.

"Tooth," he whispered, and the Guardians turned to look at her in surprise. She flushed, in both flattery and confusion.

"Jack, I didn't even know you had been captured—"

"Your music box," he interrupted. "Baby Tooth brought it to me. It—"

"Wait, Baby Tooth _knew?_" she cried, outraged, almost dropping the tray. Sandy could see that she was about to, though, and quickly took it from her and began to pass out the mugs.

"Don't be mad at her," he protested weakly, then started to cough violently. Bunny immediately grabbed a white towel and held it to his mouth until he had finished. Tooth immediately lost her rage as she saw red flecks appear on the towel. She flew back to her seat and covered her mouth with both hands as she watched. He waved away Bunny once the bout had finished, then continued in a hoarse voice, "I made her promise not to tell any of you. I-I thought it was a trap for the rest of you," he confessed.

"Jack, you did brave thing, but we can take care of ourselves," North reminded him.

"Yeah, mate. You shouldn't have worried about us. We would have done anything to get you back," Bunny added as he took his mug from Sandy. "Even if it was a trap."

He shook his head. "No. I couldn't let you guys sacrifice yourselves for—" Another bout of coughing interrupted his fragile body, and this time, when Bunny pulled his towel away from him, it was entirely red. The rabbit's face was a combination of disgust and worry. He set down the towel, then grabbed Jack's cup and handed it to him. "Here, drink this, mate. It'll make you feel loads better."

The ice spirit took it in visibly shaking hands and lifted it up to his mouth. He took a few hesitant sips, then lowered it to his lap.

There was an awkward pause for a while. Tooth finally broke the ice. "Jack, your wounds are really bad," she said softly, laying her hand on his. "A few of them are internal, and…..they need surgery on them. Then there's the, uh—"

"I know." He took another shuddering breath. "And I'll do it. But….can we start tomorrow?" he asked. He looked so young and vulnerable, looking up at them with wide, frightened, tired eyes. Tooth felt her heart break in two. _How could this have happened? Why?_

She tried to put on her most assuring, comforting smile for him. "Of course, Jack. Whatever you want. We just want you to get better."

"And I know you will," he replied, attempting to smile. She felt her heart almost break. _Smiling_ for _her_ sake. Even though he was the one that had a foot in Death's door.

She felt tears sting behind her eyes. She hurriedly blinked them away, and clumsily patted his hand. "Well, you better drink up your tea," she whispered.

He nodded. "Yeah. It's been over two minutes and I haven't thrown up yet, so I think I can drink it." He lifted it back up to his lips. He made a startled, yet pleased sound as he drank some more of it, tasting it. He set down the empty cup, licking his lips eagerly. "That was good. What's in that—?" Without a warning, he slumped over, the cup tumbling out of his hands towards the ground. Tooth caught it in surprise.

"_Nimutahita_. Sleeping tisane," Bunny said proudly as he stood up from his seat. "Knocks them out in a wink. He'll be getting the sleep he needs," he said softly. He looked up at Sandy, who was perched on the bedpost above Jack's head. "You know what to do, mate?"

He nodded.

"Good." To Tooth's confused look, he explained while moving Jack's limbs so that he was in a more comfortable position, "Pitch would infect Jack with nightmares almost hourly. It got so bad to the point where he can't sleep without nightmares. That's why he's been making sucha fuss whenever he goes to sleep. But the point is—" He stood up and drank a bit more from his cup—"Sandy is going to stay here and try and fight the little buggers until they're gone."

"Though I doubt that we can get rid of them in single night," North groaned he got up.

Tooth glanced at him. "He told me that my music box barely kept the nightmares away."

"Ah, but I'm pretty sure that Sandy's sand is a lot stronger than a music box away, mate," Bunny reminded her. Sandy nodded, then pulled out a long sandy, gold whip. "Which is why we should get out of here before the battle begins," he said hastily, pulling the other two Guardians out of the room.

He dragged them out of the room, then shut the door behind them. "Pitch did a pretty bad number on him, Tooth," Bunny murmured as they walked down the hall. "He…was chained and stabbed and whipped. Pitch would feed him these lies, to make him feel even worse. Then…..something happened—he wouldn't say—that finally broke him. You should have seen his face. He just….." He shook his head.

They were silent for a while. "He had torn rectum," North murmured. "Maybe—"

"No!" Tooth shouted without meaning to. They stared at her. She smoothed her head feathers back in embarrassment. "I mean, yeah, Pitch has been known to do some very bad things, but he wouldn't—he _couldn't_—"

"We do not know what Pitch is capable of anymore. What he did to Jack is worse than what he did to us."

"I know, but—" she bit her lip and wrapped her arms around herself. "Would he really go that far?" she wondered.

"Well, whatever happened, you saved him," North said warmly, patting her shoulder. "He said that your music box woke him up from his depression. He was able to get out of there before he was hurt any worse."

"Technically, it was Baby Tooth who brought the music box and made the way out, mate," Bunny added quickly.

"But if she had never made it, then we would still be wondering where he is," he argued. "And now, we have him. He is safe, and we are going to disinfect wounds tomorrow. Then we'll start on surgery, then—"

"Then what?" Bunny demanded. "You forgot, he's still scarred mentally from whatever Pitch put into his brain, mate. You can't expect us to dig into his brain and fix that."

North sobered a bit. "We will have to leave that bit of recovery to him. There will be nothing else we can do for him."

* * *

Sandy wondered what he had done to deserve this.

He had done what he had asked, and tried to give Jack good dreams for a change, sprinkling his sand into him. The first few times, he failed, the extension turning into black sand then falling to his lap after he touched Jack's head. The he had gotten frustrated and dumped a bucketful and the bucket on him. It swirled around him in a hazy mist, then turned black, too. But instead of turning limp, it gathered above Jack and took the form of a black Nightmare. And, of course, it attacked him.

Now he was fighting furiously with three others that had somehow split themselves from the first one. There had been a few more, but he had managed to neutralize them. But then there were four left.

He dove to the side, dodging a lunge from one of the Nightmares, and swung his golden whip. It shrieked as it melted into a pile of black sand on to the ground. Another dove in to nip him on the side, and he managed to flip over it. He slammed his palm into its side, and it quickly turned into a golden lion.

The lion growled as it turned around, facing the Nightmares, and leaped for one as Sandy whipped at the remaining one. It snarled as it dodged the blow, and charged at him. Before he could even breath, the lion was in front of him, and roared mightily, startling the Nightmare. It skidded to a stop in front of it, neighing in surprise as it began to blow away, bit by bit before exploding into pieces.

Sandy sighed in relief, and petted the lion gently. It nodded its head before gently blowing away. Just then, the door burst open.

"What has happened?" North demanded as the Guardians charged into the room, holding trays. The sandman picked up a bit of black sand and held out his palm to show them. "Nightmares? Here?" He pointed at Jack's head.

Bunny frowned. "They're _his_ nightmares? And he had _four_?" The sandman nodded. Bunny groaned. "And you've been battling them _all night_? Mate, why didn't you call us? Blimey, _four, _from _one _dream."

He shrugged, not really in the mood to try and converse, and then yawned pointedly. "Sandy, you should probably get some sleep," Tooth suggested as she set down her tray on the table besides Jack sleeping figure. You've done enough."

That was enough for him; he waved good-bye to the others and floated out of the room.

Tooth turned back to Jack, and gently shook him. "Jack. Jack, wake up," she whispered.

The boy blinked open his sleepy eyes. "What hap—?" he was interrupted by a big yawned, stretching. "What happened?" he finished, rubbing his eyes.

"Bunny had you knocked out with a sleeping tisane," Tooth told him as she sat on his bed, smiling.

"Hey, it was for your own good, mate," Bunny intervened as Jack shot him a glare, holding up his hands defensively.

Tooth laughed as she took a wet towel from off the tray and laid it gently one his head. "Okay, so the schedule for today is that we're going to wash you down, get off all the blood and clean as many of your wounds as possible."

"Got it," he said, his eyes following her hand as it gently traveled across his face, enjoying her soft touch as she cooled him down, a tingling feeling in the places where she touched him.

"Then we're going to get the infection out of the really bad ones," she continued, dabbing at a particularly hot spot on his nose. "There's about ten or eleven, most of them on your chest, and a couple of them are burns, but there's a really bad one on your back."

He froze, memories that he would have rather froze and put away, never to be found again, flooded back into his mind.

_"Don't worry, Jack. This will only hurt for a _long_ time."_

_"No….Pitch…..please…."_

_"You look so beautiful like that, Jack. Say my name again, and maybe it won't hurt as much."_

He was back in Pitch's lair, on all fours, shackled on both his hands and feet. He couldn't see him, but he could feel him pressing his large manhood against his opening, the knife that he was slowly drawing up and down his back, not hard enough to pierce the skin. But even then, the cold steel set shivers up his back.

"Come on, Jack," he purred as he leaned over him, caressing his throat with one hand. "Don't make me ask for it again.

"Pitch, I'm begging you…"

"That's it, Jack. Beg," he breathed, the knife back on his back. He pressed himself against his opening gently.

"No, please don't—" Jack cried.

"That's it," he panted, and pressed harder. His hole, already in agony, felt as if it was on fire.

"Stop!" he screamed.

"Oh, Jack. That temper," he sighed, leaned back. His fingers gently traced his spine, sending shivers up the trembling boy's back before wrapping a black cloth around his mouth. "How many times do I have to tell you?"

He brought down the knife, plunging it deep into his back. Jack screamed in agony through the gag, and didn't even stop for breath as he dragged it through his skin, traveling it down his back as he pushed himself all the way into him.

"Just like that, Jack," he murmured as he made it go down all the way down until he reached in between his cheeks before yanking it out. Jack screeched again, writhing and trying to flail around. "Stay still," he growled, moving in and out of him, erecting even more pain. He leaned over and began to lick the bleeding wound. "Mmmm, your blood is so sweet," he chuckled. "I wonder what it would taste like from your other side."

_"Jack! Jack! JACK!"_

He blinked, the lair and the pain melting away from him. Tooth was in front of him, her face pinched with worry. "Jack, are you okay?"

"Huh? Yeah, I'm fine," he lied, running his hand through his hair, still feeling Pitch's hot breath against his skin.

"Jack. You were staring at friggin' nothing with this-this LOOK on your face! And you've done this before!" Bunny hopped over to his side, and got down next to him. "What happened, mate?"

He took a deep breath. "Nothing, Bunny. It was nothing."

The Guardians exchanged glances, but didn't say anything.

Tooth got up and clapped her hands together. "So! Who wants to bathe him?" she said cheerfully.

Bunnymund and North stared at her. "You're not bloody serious?" he gaped.

"Well, _I_ can't. So somebody has to."

"Uh, Tooth? No offense, but I am perfectly capable to wash myself," Jack put in.

"_No_, you aren't," she shot. "You are in a critical condition, and until you're better, Bunny and North will take turns washing you."

"Uh, no. I'm sorry. I like you, mate, but I am _not _washing you down."

"Don't worry. I don't want to be scrubbed down by _your _furry paws," he teased, feeling a bit better from his flash. The other rolled his eyes.

"I can't wash him, though!" Tooth pointed out.

"Why not?" Bunny demanded.

"_Hello? _I'm a girl!"

"У нас нет на это времени! _I'll _do it!" North exclaimed, and swooped Jack up into his arms. He yelped, surprised. "Do not fear, Jack! I am very soft with the loofah " he assured him as they strode out of the room. "And I will even bring rubber ducky!"

Jack rolled his eyes and groaned.

* * *

"See? That was not so bad," North said as he carried him back into the room where the others, including Sandy, who had finished his nap, were waiting. Jack was wrapped almost adorably in a cotton white robe with fresh white slacks, looking snug in North's huge arms. The look on his face, though, was anything but.

He glared up at North as he laid him in the bed. "That was completely unnecessary," he growled, crossing his arms.

"Ah, there's the old Jack!" Bunny chuckled, lightly punching him in the arm.

He rolled his eyes, but couldn't the corners of his mouth turning up in a small grin.

"Okay, time to move on." Bunny picked up a bottle from the tray. "This is a poultice that we made ages ago. Haven't had to use it in a while, but I remember using it." He chuckled. "Stings like a bi—"

"What Bunny is trying to say," Tooth interrupted hastily as she pulled on a pair of gloves, "is that this is going to hurt _a lot. _It's probably nothing compared to….what you went though. But it'll still hurt."

"Bring it on," he sighed, shedding his robe. His chest and arms looked considerably better, his skin scrubbed clean of blood, the gashes looking not as nasty.

"Okay, now lay down, mate," Bunny said as he unscrewed the lid. He did as he asked, and stared up at the ceiling. He wondered if it would compare to the times he was burned.

"Don't worry," Tooth assured him, soaking a towel in water.

"I'm not," he breathed. "You guys are here." His eyes flickered from Bunny's face to hers, his blue eyes searching hers. He could see nothing but assurance and a soft, affectionate look in the deep violet depths.

She smiled at him, then turned to Bunny. "Start on the smaller ones."

"Got it." He held the bottle right above one of the small stab wounds, about the length of his hands, that went right above his nipple. "Hold on tight," he whispered as he poured it.

There was a dull, stinging pain as the liquid hit the gash. It was more like a bee sting that seemed to last for a while. He lifted his neck up and looked at the wound mildly. "It's not that bad," he shrugged, laying back down as Tooth began to clean it out.

She grimaced as she scooped out the pus and dead skin. "Wait until the bigger ones." As soon as she was done, Bunny gently pushed up Jack's pants' leg to pour some over a long gash along his leg that went from his ankle to his midsection.

"Okay, this one is going to hurt a lot more, mate," he warned before pouring it.

_He was right_, Jack thought. _This_ did _hurt more_. He gritted his teeth and stared up at the ceiling as Tooth hurriedly cleaned out the wound, trying to ignore the large stinging pain that ran up half of his body.

"It's okay," she assured him. "It'll be okay."

"That's not really helping but thanks for trying," he gasped.

They continued on doing the wounds, North and Sandy doing a couple of the burns. He would grit his teeth and try and imagine something else besides the pain. Only every once in a while would he let out a cry of pain, and once, on a whiplash across his back, he had begun to cry. North and Bunny had to leave the room, unable to bear his tears. He hated himself when that happened. He wasn't supposed to have cried anymore. Tooth held his hand, whispering soothing words as he sobbed. Finally, when the pain had faded away, Jack forced himself to stop.

Soon, only two were left.

"You ready, mate?" Bunny asked in concern, holding it over the one across his chest. It was easily one of the most deepest, and would probably hurt as much as the others combined.

He nodded. "Go ahead. The sooner it's over, the better."

"I'm right here," Tooth whispered from beside him, holding his right hand with both of her own.

Jack took a deep breath, then nodded at Bunny. "Okay. Go."

"Don't say I didn't warn you," he said before splashing the poultice on him.

As soon as hit him, Jack let out a blood-curdling scream as he arched his back. "Jack!" Tooth dropped his hand and tried to press him back on to the bed. "Jack, it's okay!"

He didn't seem to hear her, though. He was too deeply wrapped in his own pain. He writhed and thrashed around, throwing the covers off of the bed and flailing his arms.

"Oh, crikey!" Bunny hastily put down the bottle and grabbed one of Jack's flailing arms and pinned it by his side. Tooth quickly did the same, but he didn't stop wailing or his thrashing.

"Jack! Jack, stop!" Tooth cried, struggling to pin him down. His cries of pain overrode her voice, though, as he bucked his hips and kicked out. North hurried over and tried to pin his legs down, but they kept on bucking out of his hands. Sandy watched worriedly from his chair next to the door.

She glanced over, trying to find something to bind him up with or something, but froze when she saw his eyes. They were glazed over, filled with pain, but it was his irises that frightened her the most. They weren't even ice blue anymore, or even have the whites of his eyes. It was like his whole eye had been swallowed up by his pupil, all a dark black. They sent chills down her back.

"Bunny, his eyes," she choked.

"Tooth, do something!" Bunny yelled.

"What am I supposed to do?" she cried.

"I dunno, sing or something!" he shot, fighting to keep Jack from seriously hurting himself.

"Like what?!"

"I dunno, something!"

Tooth glanced down at Jack, who was still screaming out in agony. _What do you have to lose?_ She thought. She took a deep breath, and began,

"_Hush now, my baby, be still love, don't cry.  
__Sleep like you're rocked by the stream…..  
__Sleep and remember my lullaby,  
__And I'll be with you when you dream…."_

His kicks and long-winded screams began to falter, to her surprise. "It's working!" Bunny hissed. "Don't stop." She nodded, and continued,

"_Drift on a river that flows through my arms,  
__Drift as I'm singing to you….."_

She let go of his hand and gently cradled his head in her arms. He stopped screaming, and let out a low moan that seemed to originate from the bowels of his stomach.

"_I see you smiling, so peaceful and calm,  
__And holding you, I'm smiling, too….  
__Here in my arms,  
__Safe from all harm!  
__Holding you  
__I'm smiling, too…."_

Bunny cautiously let go of Jack's other arm, and started to gently clean out the infection. He groaned, twisting away from his touch. Tooth gently laid one of her hands on his chest, and he stopped.

Sandy suddenly got an idea, and pulled out his flute, and began to play. Jack relaxed in Tooth's arms, closing his eyes.

"_Hush now, my baby, be still, love, don't cry.  
__Sleep like you're rocked by the stream….  
__Sleep and remember this river lullaby.  
__And I'll be with you when you dream…."_

"_Here in my arms!  
__Safe from all harm.  
__Holding you,  
__I'm smiling, too….._

"_Sleep and remember this river lullaby!  
__And I'll be with you when you dream….."_

He opened his eyes again, and Tooth's heart whooped for joy when she saw that the icy blue irises were back, the darkness of his eyes gone. Bunny let out a sigh of relief when he had seen the eyes change back.

"_Sleep and remember this river lullaby!  
__And I'll be with you when you dream.  
__I'll be with you….  
__When you dream….."_

Jack glanced up at Tooth, then grinned. "Prince of Egypt?" he asked, the teasing tone back in his voice.

Everybody clapped as Tooth threw her arms around his neck, almost crying. "Jack is back!" North declared.

"Scared us for a minute there, frostbite," Bunny laughed, leaning on the bedpost.

"I'm sorry. I just—"

"There is nothing to be ashamed about! You're almost done healing, and that is what important," North assured him, throwing an arm around his shoulders.

He sighed, and smiled, his body relaxing.

"We still have the one on the back, mate," Bunny reminded him.

"We can do that one tomorrow," Tooth put in hastily, wrapping her arms tighter around his neck.

"Uh, Tooth? You're kind of choking me over here," Jack gasped.

"Oh, sorry!" she loosened her grip on him.

"Chill, mate, we can shoot you up with a few anesthetics," Bunny suggested.

"Will the shots hurt?" he asked worriedly.

Bunny held up a needle the length of his arm, and raised an eyebrow. "Your decision, mate."

* * *

The shots hadn't hurt, to his surprise. In fact, he didn't even feel them. For twenty minutes, he had laid on his stomach, holding Tooth's hand, patiently waiting for Bunny to stick them in to only find out that he had been doing so the entire time.

"Done," he announced, laying the needle back on to the tray.

Jack lifted his head up in surprise. "What? You haven't even started yet."

"Actually, I have," he corrected. "Now, ready for the poultice, mate?"

"You'll barely be able to feel it," Tooth assured him. "Watch." She gently began to run her fingers along his back. "Can you feel that?" He shook his head. She pressed her fingers on to one of the yellowing bruises. "How about that." He shook his head again. Hesitantly, she pinched the skin around the valley of the stab wound. "That?"

She expected him to start screaming, but he only frowned. "What are you doing?"

"I'm pinching the skin around the stab wound."

"Really?"

"Yep. Can you feel it?"

"A bit. It doesn't hurt."

"Good. Well, then, are you ready?" Bunny asked.

"Yeah, bring it on," Jack said confidently.

Bunny shrugged, and poured the poultice on to the wound. Jack bit back a shriek as it felt like hot lava was pouring down his back. _So much for not feeling the pain!_ He groaned and buried his face into the pillows. Tooth gently stroked his face, whispering soothingly to him as Bunny started to clean out the infection.

He could feel something tugging at the edges of his mind, something born from the pain.

_Good morning, Jack._

"No," he choked out. "Not again."

_How are you feeling?_

"Go away!"

_I thought you would be _used _to this type of pain by now. Look at you,_ crying. _I thought I've done worse to you. Maybe…maybe I should pay you a little visit tonight. Remind you what pain_ really _is._

"Bunny!" he cried.

_Your little friends can't help you, Jack. You're MINE._

He squeezed his eyes tight as he felt something curl around his throat. He flailed, terrified of the touch. Something grabbed his wrists, keeping him from hitting himself. "Jack, mate, it's okay!"

But he couldn't hear anything; blood pounded in his ears and everything was dark.

_You won't be able to escape me, Jack_, Pitch's voice whispered through the darkness. _I will always find you_.

Jack gasped as Pitch's figure arose from the darkness. "I will always find you, Jack," he said softly, stepping towards him.

"No!" Jack scrambled backwards, but then his back hit a wall. He looked up, his eyes wide with fear as the boogeyman approached him.

"Are you afraid of me now, Jack?" he asked, his black eyes gleaming cruelly.

"Get away from me," he spat.

"Jack, we have been over this multiple times," he sighed, stopping before him. He pulled out a knife from his robe. Jack felt a chill as he recognized it. "Your temper," he growled, lifting the knife up before plunging it towards him.

Suddenly, he heard singing. The sound filled the air, chasing the cool chill and bringing warmth and safety. It brought Pitch up short. He frowned as he leaned back up, then snarled. "That cursed fairy!"

Relief filled him. "Tooth," he whispered.

He whipped his head back to glare at Jack. "I'll keep on coming back, Jack, do not worry. There will come a time where that pester fairy or the sandman is not around. And I will have you."

Jack gasped as he felt himself being plunged back into reality. He felt the cool covers of the bed underneath him, somebody next to him. "Jack?" Tooth's worried face swam into focus. She was leaning over him from her seat. "Are you okay?"

"Y-Yeah," he gasped.

"No, you're not, mate," Bunny growled from his other side.

"Jack," North began, getting up from his chair, "something happens to you when you feel lot of pain. What-What is happening?"

He shook his head. "Nothing. Nothing's happening."

Tooth gently turned his face to hers. He refused to look into her eyes, afraid that she would be able to see into him. That she could see the pain and fear in his eyes. That he was scared. "Jack. You can tell us. We won't judge you."

"No. No, there's nothing," he lied. He knew that, in the end, they would judge him. Maybe not as harshly, but they would think different of him, that he would no longer be the mischievous, fun-loving spirit, but the beaten, broken little boy. Weak. Constantly needed to be looked after. Unable to fend for himself. That he was just a scared little boy. Oh, he could tell them different, of course, but they would stick to their thoughts, that because of just this one incident- no matter how big- that Jack wasn't at all what they had thought of him.

The other Guardians glanced at each other. There was some unspoken conversation between them. The tension was obviously thick in the air, making him squirm in discomfort. Finally, they all looked at him. "You're seeing Pitch, aren't you?" Bunny said finally.

He blinked. "How did you know?"

The Easter Bunny glanced at the others, then answered, "Because we've felt it, mate."

Jack's heart stopped. "_What?"_

"When we were new Guardians, Pitch sought to end us." Pain flashed into his eyes. "He captured us, one by one, and put fear into our minds, infecting us. We couldn't sleep, we couldn't think, and by the time we had rescued each other, the things we saw…." He shuddered.

"I was in there the longest," Tooth whispered, sitting back down in her chair and covering her face with her hands. "He…..he did things to me that he didn't do to the others. He even branded me. Like _cattle,_" she whimpered. Jack flinched. He knew the feeling all too well. "Said I _betrayed _him, somehow, that I deserved it."

"Sandy was the only one not captured," North told Jack. "He was able to keep off the fear with his dreams, and bring us back."

"But, mate, what he did to you is far worse," Bunny put in. "He wouldn't physically touch North or me. Tooth was—" He hesitated.

Tooth lifted her head, her face surprisingly calm. "He shaved off the feathers on my chest and in between my legs so he could touch me there. He would make me act stripper for him, then called me his _puttana_, and would spank me with a leather belt, sometimes metal."

"Tooth, you don't have to tell me this," Jack said awkwardly. He had already been forced to hear the story once, and he never wanted to hear it again. It was becoming increasingly difficult to look at Tooth without imagining the things that Pitch had done to her. The story had been fed to him as a nightmare, but unlike real life, the end was that he had slit her throat and left her bleeding out on the dungeon floor, her figure crumpled in a heap, the blood staining her beautiful feathers...Jack surpressed another shiver.

Tooth shook her head. "Jack, I know that it's hard for you, and I understand how it feels to be chained up like an animal, to be humiliated and tortured."

_Yeah, but he didn't rape you, did he? He didn't chain your ankles and wrist and fuck you until you had passed out from the pain? Or lubricate himself with your own blood?_ _He didn't even touch you guys, but he decided to stab me and whip me and choke me while raping me, getting _pleasure _from my pain. How would you guys understand that? _He longed to lash the words out at her, but he knew that it would cause more damage than repair.

"When we had our...flashes, we would be able to fight them off, with Sandy's help. But he can't even touch you, mate. And then your eyes…." Bunny trailed off.

"What about them?" he asked, touching them gently.

"They go full black," he said bluntly. "Like a nixie. And we can't reach you! You're…..somewhere else, so far away that even we scream at you, you can't hear us, mate. Do you know how scary that is?" he demanded.

Jack bowed his head. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

"Oh, Jack." Tooth fluttered up and wrapped her arms around him, carefully making sure that she didn't touch any of his gashes. "It's not your fault. It's Pitch's, and as soon as you're better, we're gonna go after him and make him pay," she said firmly.

He smiled wryly. "Okay. But first, promise me something."

"Anything."

"I get to pound the crap out of him."

"Deal," she promised. "Now….." she reached behind her and pulled out a medical sewing kit. "We better get those shut."

"All of them?" he groaned.

"Unfortunately, yes, mate. But this time, we're knocking you out again. Sandy's getting you the drink now."

"Okay." He hadn't noticed that the sandman had left, but after quick glance around the room, he realized that he wasn't there.

They waited in silence until he finally came back, his snowflake-shaped cup in his hands. He handed it to him with a friendly smile. Jack smiled back, then lifted the cup to his lips and began to drink it.

It tasted as delicious as before, filling him up with a warm, fuzzy feeling as the minty taste stayed on his tongue. It was better than the ones that he had made at home, but it was probably because of whatever Bunny added to it to make him fall asleep.

He set the cup down on the nightstand, then was barely able to get into a comfortable enough sleep position before feeling the world slip away from him as he fell asleep.

* * *

Hey, does anybody have a drawing or a sketch of what Tooth would look like human? If so, could you send it to me? I need it for, uh, research.

Review-spam me as much as you like!


	15. Revelations

I have one thing to say.

YOLO.

...

You Obviously Love Oreos!

Right? Am I right? Anybody with me? No? Okay. ._. Anyway, I think this is the longest chapter I have ever written without a song. Actually, I think this is the longest chapter I've ever written _period. _I'm so proud of myself!

Oh, and, um, descriptive rape in here. I think you'll know when to skip it. I hope.

Um, what else? Oh yeah, I own nothing.

Yet. ;)

* * *

"Hi, Jack," Tooth greeted as she flew into his room the next morning, a tray with a plate of eggs and sausages and cup of orange juice on it. He and Sandy, who had another long night of battling Nightmares, were playing charades. He had just guessed that Sandy was the air spirit. To be truthful, though, it actually wasn't that hard, when he was puffing his cheeks and blowing large amounts of air, and drawing the main character from Avatar: The Last Airbender. Then again, the only way Jack was able to identify who it was was by the blue arrow on the head, because the sandman was a terrible artist. But Jack was grateful that he had done something easy this time, because the last few- which had been a faerie, a manatee, and a jackalope- had been _extremely _difficult to decipher. The last one, Jack just gave up, unable to make the connection between the hopping like a kangaroo(though now he realized that it was supposed to mimic a rabbit) and the antlers he made out of his dream sand.

"Hey, Tooth! Is that food?" Jack licked his lips greedily, eyeing the plate openly.

"Well, that's a good sign. You're hungry again," she remarked as she laid the tray on his lap, then turned to Sandy, who was staring at Jack's plate shamelessly with wide, hungry eyes. "Don't even think about it," she growled. He took a step back, his hands held up defensively. "Now, we're trying to start off slow," she reminded Jack, picking up one of the sausages in between her index and middle finger. "We don't want you puking." Sandy nodded in agreement.

"I won't," he promised as he took the sausage from her fingers. He noticed that when they're skin brushed, it was _him _that got the goosebumps, not her.

Sandy picked the bucket that laid beside his bed, ready to dive it underneath Jack in cave he vomited. Jack took a deep breath, then took a small bite off of the edge. Tooth and Sandy watched nervously as he slowly chewed and swallowed.

They waited for about a minute. Nothing happened. Jack finally said, "Can I please eat the rest of the sausage?"

Tooth laughed as she handed Jack the link. "Go ahead. I don't think you're going to throw up."

"Are my ears deceiving me? Is Jack finally eating?" North boomed as he burst through the doors.

"Hey, North," Jack mumbled, speaking through two sausages and a couple of scoops of eggs that he had managed to stuff into his mouth in less than two seconds.

Santa laughed as he sat down next to him, but then became serious as looked intently into his face. "How are you _really, _Jack?"

He swallowed down his food, then asked, "What do you mean?" North only looked at him, his eyes dark. Jack had a sudden sinking feeling. He turned to the sandman and Tooth and asked quietly, "Can you guys leave?"

Tooth leaned back in surprise, hurt flashing on her face. Jack hated himself instantly for it. "Of-Of course, Jack." She stood up and flew out with Sandy, leaving Jack with an empty feeling in him.

"Jack?"

He took a deep breath and turned to him. "I hate hurting her," he whispered.

"Sometimes, we must hurt the ones we love to protect them," North said gently.

He nodded. "It's just, I feel better. I really do. I'm not coughing up blood anymore, I feel stiff, but I don't feel like I'm being burned alive constantly. My head, it's doing way better than before. But….." He bit his lip. "I hate myself so much sometimes," he whispered.

"Jack, you have no reason to—"

"I can't take care of myself," he interrupted, looking at his hands, the scratches now silver lines that overlapped in pale circles and criss-crossed over each other. "You guys have to do everything for me. I'm taking time that you guys use to make toys and collect teeth and create eggs and give dreams. And believe me, if I had known that this would happened, then I wouldn't even be here."

"If you didn't come, Jack, you would have died," North said gently.

"Maybe it would have been better that way," he said bitterly.

"Jack!"

"It's true, North! You guys were doing just fine before I came along! Yeah, fun! It's great to kids, but they can get fun just fine without me!" he shot. "I mess up everything I touch, I hurt the people I love. I couldn't even take on a Nightmare! No wonder Bunny hates me, and Tooth-!" Jack couldn't even continue. He fell back against the pillows, groaning, then looked up at him. "I bet even you hate me."

"Jack, I do not hate you. You are like family to me. Maybe even son. And Bunny does not hate you, either. You two may butt heads," he admitted, "but he cares very much for you. And Tooth—" he smiled widely—"I'm sure that she feels _exactly _the same way about you."

He blinked. "You think so?"

"Of course! How have you not seen it in her eyes?" he exclaimed. "Toothiana is _very _fond of you, Jack. Just give her a little time."

He smiled, then looked back at his hands. "Pitch is giving me these thoughts," he realized. "Even when I'm far away from him, he's _still _infecting me."

"Do not worry, Jack. He will never hurt you again."

"I know," he sighed, pressing the palms of his hands against his eyes.

"And do you know why, Jack?" He shrugged. "Because we will not let him. You are one of us, now, Jack. You are our family."

"I know. But after going three hundred years without knowing what it's like and then getting one…." He shook his head.

North ruffled the boy's hair affectionately. "Do not worry! So far, so good."

"Thanks, North," he said wryly, though the corners of his lips turned up into a wary smile.

"And, Jack? There was something else I need to talk to you about."

"Go ahead." He sat up and scooped up some eggs with his fork.

"When we examined you, few days ago, we found that you had torn rectum."

He froze, the fork an inch away from his mouth, then laid it back on to the plate. He didn't feel so hungry anymore.

"Jack? Can you explain that?"

He didn't say anything.

North hesitated, then continued, "It looked like an object was shoved up inside very roughly, tearing the skin, and I was wondering—"

"Get out."

North blinked, surprised. "What?"

"Get out!" he yelled, his face suddenly a mask of fury. "GET OUT!" To emphasize his point, he picked up the tray and threw it on to the ground, his eggs and sausages splattering to the ground.

North hurried out the room and quickly closed the door behind him. "Что это было?" he wondered as he walked down the hallway.

"Hiya, North," Bunny greeted as he walked into the sitting room, where the sandman and Tooth were also at, sipping from his mug. "How's Frostbite?"

When he didn't reply, Tooth asked, "Is something wrong?"

"I told Jack about his torn rectum. I was asking him what happened, and then he…he yelled at me."

Bunny raised his eyebrow, then began to laugh. "Frostbite shouted at you? Nice one, mate."

"No, I am serious," he insisted.

"But Jack _never _yells at you," Tooth protested. Sandy nodded in agreement.

"Wait, you told him about his rectum?" Bunny asked. "It's torn, right?"

"Yes. I looked at the examination report again, and it looked like something had been shoved inside."

Tooth covered her mouth. "You don't think—?"

"I thought you would have _expected _this from me," came an amused, sarcastic voice.

Everyone whirled around to see Pitch Black leaned against the fireplace.

"Pitch," Bunny snarled, his paw flying to his boomerang.

"Apparition," he reminded him in his silky voice, sticking his hand into the wall, where it disappeared up to the elbow.

Bunny glared at him, but grudgingly put his paw down.

"What do you want, Pitch?" Tooth demanded.

He shrugged. "I'm just surprised that he hasn't told you yet. Then again, he never tells you the whole story about anything, does he? I don't blame him. Afraid he'll be cast out again, that you won't understand."

"Jack trusts us!" Tooth growled.

"Really? Then you are very blind. Because even they know it's not true." He gestured to the other three Guardians. The tooth fairy whirled around and saw the guilty, unsure looks on their faces.

"Come on! Jack trusts us, doesn't he?" Tooth looked for confirmation on her friends faces, but found none. She couldn't believe it. _After all we've been through...?_

"There's your answer. But I'm not here to talk about that." He stood upright and stepped aside, revealing a black TV screen that wasn't there a minute ago. "We had a lot of fun together," he purred, tapping his fingers against the top of the TV. "I just wanted to…..catch the moment."

Just then, it flickered on. It was a room that looked like a medieval dungeon. A huddled figure was lying in the corner. Tooth immediately recognized Jack's shock of white hair, though it looked tangled and matted. But the rest of him was virtually unrecognizable. There was blood covering his body, seeping through the tattered remains that she recognized as his old sweater and slacks.

Suddenly, the door swung open, and in walked Pitch. "You know, Jack, you gave me the most marvelous idea yesterday," he was saying. Jack lifted himself up and yawned, to her surprise, not looking scared or tired. His voice was shockingly strong as he called out boldly, "And what would that be?"

TV Pitch turned around to glare at him, then crossed the room in a single stride and his hand closed around his throat. Tooth covered her mouth with both hands as she watched.

"That little outburst you had," he hissed, now standing over him.

"Which one? The one about when you should kill yourself?" he spat.

Pitch only grinned at him, as something—chains, Tooth realized—began to pull out Jack's arms and legs until he was spread out like a starfish. Pitch leaned over and whispered in his ear, barely loud enough for them to hear, "I believe it was the one about yelling to a fireplace about my lust for you. And it made me realize something." Tooth felt the feathers on the back of her neck stand up, a dark sense of foreboding swirling in the pit of her stomach.

"This is my favorite part," Pitch cooed as he watched himself lay his other hand on Jack's stomach. "But I think I'll leave this to you watch. It's quite enjoyable." He flashed them a grin before evaporating into black dust that was quickly whisked away.

"What—?"

"Shh!" Tooth hissed.

The Jack on the screen seemed to realize something that the others hadn't. "No," he begged.

"Yes," Pitch growled, putting his hands deep into the boy's pants. "I've been waiting to do this for a _long _time, Jack."

Tooth felt sick as she continued watching. She glanced behind her, and saw the same reflected on her friends' faces.

"No! Please! Stop!" Jack was yelling, trying to fight his way out of his grip. But the manacles bound him tightly, and he could do nothing but writhe around underneath Pitch.

Pitch chuckled. "Oh Jack….. When you find out that I _feed_ off of your terror?" he cooed as he drew his pinky finger along his face.

"LET ME GO!" Jack suddenly shouted.

"Atta boy, Frostbite," Tooth faintly heard Bunny mutter.

The boogeyman sighed. "I thought we had already dealt with that attitude, Jack." He drew his fist back before plunging it into his already broken body. Tooth flinched, as if he had hit her instead. _Please, no..._ Jack gasped as he curled up, clearly in pain, but unable to do anything. Pitch ripped open a huge hole in the front of his sweater, then continued to touch Jack's body.

"Shame, I should have done this first. Your skin is so soft and pretty." Tooth wanted to puke when he pressed his lips against his chest.

"Please, stop!" he begged, his voice sounding high-pitched and terrified through the volume of the TV.

"No can do, Jack," Pitch hissed, standing up. He ripped off his robes, then bent over to pull off Jack's pants. "Don't be afraid," he breathed as he positioned himself over Jack. "Be _terrified_," he hissed.

The other Guardians turned the heads away or closed their eyes, trying to ignore the scream of agony, more so than any they had heard come from Jack, even today, as Pitch plunged into him. Except for Tooth. Even though she wanted vomit, to run out the room and pretended that she had never even seen or heard anything, she couldn't tear her eyes away as Pitch savagely raped Jack on the floor of the chamber, even grabbing a knife and plunging it deep into his skin. Whenever she looked back on that moment, she would cringe and hate herself more than ever before, because instead of stopping it, or running away, or even just closing her eyes and praying it would be over soon, she stayed and watched like some sick pervert.

Soon, Jack's screams turned to low moans, until it was silent except for Pitch's grunts and his whoop of delight as he pressed himself deep inside of Jack for release. Tooth felt tears running down her cheeks as he pulled out and stood up, pulling his clothes on. _This couldn't of happened, this _didn't _happen, it's not true, it can't be true..._

"That was quite fun, Jack," he told him, an evil grin on his face. "We should do this again sometime."

Jack didn't say anything. He laid on his side, squeezing his eyes tight, as if trying to make make himself believe that this was only a bad dream. Pitch leaned over him and kissed him on his temple, and Jack flinched. Tooth couldn't help but feel disgusted. "Good night, Jack," he purred as he left, the door swinging behind him.

The screen went blank for a few seconds, then flashed back on. _Oh God, no, please. Not again, _Tooth thought, thinking she couldn't sit through another torturous rape session. Jack was curled up in a ball in the middle of the room, his hands over his head. The door swung open and in walked Pitch.

"Hello, Jack," he purred. "Did you miss me?"

Jack's eyes were wide with terror as he desperately scrambled backwards away from him. Pitch's hand shot out and grabbed him by the hair. He shrieked as he lifted him up by the hair, writhing in midair, trying to squirm his way out of his grip. "That hurt my feelings," he pouted before throwing him back on his back on the floor. Tooth swore she could hear a crack when his head slammed against the cold marble ground.

"Pitch no—" his begging was interrupted by a yowl of anguish as Pitch threw himself into him.

"That's it, Jack_,_" Pitch panted as he thrust against Jack, ignoring his howls. "Beg. Cry. No one can hear you down here. It's just you and me." He laughed insanely, a sound that made Tooth want to crawl under the covers of her bed and hide. To flee this world and the next. To do anything to escape that insane laugh. "You feel so much better than what that fairy could have given me! She couldn't even take me touching her!" His cruel laugh rang in her ears as she processed what she just heard. No, he didn't- he _couldn't _have-

_Tooth, you don't have to tell me this._

Because he already _knew. _She buried her face in her hands, trying to block out the cries of torment as Pitch pounded into Jack.

It must of switched to a new one, because it was all silent except for the soft sound of crying and sniffling. She peeked through her fingers to see Jack, crying, crouched in a corner on the screen. The chamber door swung open again, and this time Pitch strode into the room without saying anything. Jack barely had time to glance up before Pitch had seized him by the throat and pinned him up against the wall, the front of his face smashed against the bricks. He ripped down Jack's pants, which were so ripped and torn it probably wouldn't of even stopped him, and forced himself into Jack.

The room was once again filled with the sounds of choked screams and grunting and flesh slapping against each other. As soon as he had satisfied himself, he threw him down on to the ground and walked right out without saying anything. No barbs or any cruel imitations of kindness. Jack curled up into a ball on the screen, weeping openly.

It continued on and on, each brutal rape after the other. But none of the Guardians left, unable to watch, but unable to leave, even though the sexual torture just got progressively worse, with Pitch adding sick, sexual kinks to it. Tooth finally lost her stomach when Jack was forced to take Pitch's whole length into his mouth for the third time in a row.

"Turn it off," she gasped as soon as she pulled her head out of a flower pot. "TURN IT OFF!" she screamed when nobody moved. Bunny hastily got up and punched the screen, his fist going right through at the exact moment Pitch laughed as he came all over Jack's face. The TV fell to the ground, and the room became silent.

"How could he not have told us?" Tooth whispered.

"Because Pitch is right," North said heavily, getting to his feet. "Jack does not trust us."

"What? Of course he—!"

"Tooth, he wouldn't even tell us that he had been hurt in the first place," Bunny slumped into a chair, covering his face with both paws. "This is all my fault," he whispered. "If….if I hadn't shouted at him, during Easter, maybe—maybe we could have saved him before he was…"

"Bunny, it wasn't just you," North reminded him, laying a hand on his shoulder comfortingly. "If we hadn't been so quick to judge Jack, to instantly expect the worse of him..."

"What does what happened at Easter have to do with this?" Tooth cried.

"We damaged his trust in us when we turned on him. And it wasn't even his fault! And I..." Bunny trailed off. "We didn't even give him a chance to explain."

"What are we going to tell him?" Tooth whimpered, thinking that she wasn't going to be able to look at the boy without remembering how wide his eyes had been with pain and his hoarse voice screaming.

North and Bunny glanced at each other. "Should we?" the Easter Bunny asked. "Who would want to be reminded of that? I mean, blimey, I would have serious guts to tell _anyone _about what happened. And Jack doesn't trust us at all."

"Yes, he does," she insisted.

"Tooth, he doesn't. He might care for us, mate, but he doesn't trust us."

"He was trying to _protect _us,"she hissed.

"And afterwards?" he demanded. When she didn't answer, he continued, "He might've made Baby Tooth not tell us anything, but afterwards, when he was free, he could have said something to us, mate. He didn't even have to say anything about him being—you know—but he didn't."

"But he was _raped, _Bunny!" Tooth cried. "He was _raped! _Who would want to go through all of that again?"

"Maybe if he had been more of a man he would have been able to!" Bunny shouted back, standing up so that they were eye-to-eye. Without thinking, Tooth backhanded him across the face, and he stumbled backwards from the blow, more from surprise than anything, a hand to his cheek as he stared at her incredulously.

Suddenly, there was a loud thump from outside the sitting room. Tooth immediately flew to the door, which was barely ajar, and caught a flash of white before they disappeared up the stairs. She glanced around, then found the shattered pot lying at the front of the door. Her heart sank as she put the pieces together.

"What has happened?" North demanded.

"He heard us," she whispered, turning back to look at their incredulous faces. "He was listening to us, maybe even watching."

Bunny groaned as he slumped back into his chair. "Do you think he saw—?"

"I don't know."

"Maybe now would be best if we talked to him," North suggested.

She shook her head. "No. L-Let me talk to him."

"By yourself?"

She nodded. "I think…..I think he'll be fine with me."

"Take this with you, just in case." Bunny handed her a small bottle. She unscrewed the cap curiously and peered inside. It looked like just a bunch of brown sand piled at the bottom. She frowned in confusion. "It'll calm him down in case he gets upset," Bunny explained.

"Okay. And Bunny?"

"Hmm?"

"I'm sorry I hit you."

He shrugged. "I had it coming."

She nodded, then flew out the room and up the hallway, swooping through hallways and past busy yetis until she reached Jack's doors. She stopped herself. _What if he's angry at me? What if he screams at me to get out like he did North?_

_Stop being such a baby_, she told herself firmly. _But just to be sure_…..The fairy laid her ear against the door and listened. She could faintly hear the sound of sobbing. She almost turned back around when an intrusive thought pressed into her head. _No._ _Jack needs you._ She took a deep breathe, then knocked on the door.

The crying noises stopped. "Go away," a muffled voice came from the room.

"Jack, it's me," Tooth called.

"I don't want you guys in here."

"Jack, it's just me. North, Bunny, and Sandy are all downstairs."

There was a pause. "You're alone?"

"Yes, Jack. I'm alone."

Another pause.

"Okay, you can come in."

Tooth cautiously turned the handle and pushed the door open slowly. "Jack?" she whispered, poking her head in. He was sitting in the bed upright, the skin that wasn't covered up with bandage wrapping glowing faintly, staring down at his hands in his lap. She slowly closed the door behind her and slowly flew towards him.

"Hey, Tooth," he rasped, his voice scratchy, though not in the way from screeching in pain or yelling. It was in the way of somebody who had been crying. His face and eyes were red, slightly swollen. And he looked so...sad.

They didn't say anything for a while, then Tooth finally said, "Pitch came back." When he didn't say anything, she continued, "He made us sit and watch….watch what he did to you."

He still didn't say anything.

"Jack, why didn't you tell us?" she whispered.

He didn't reply for a couple moments. Then, in a low voice, he asked, "Do you know what it's like to have that _one _thing that you _never_ thought could be taken away from you…..ripped away as if mean absolutely _nothing?"_

"But Jack, you still could have told us."

He snorted. "Oh yeah, that would make an awesome topic to discuss. 'Hey, you guys, how was your Thanksgiving? Mine's was great. Oh, and did you know that when I was captured by Pitch for almost for weeks he decided to rape me senseless? Then when he was done he would make me feel that I was worth only two pellets? Gave me nightmares so badly that I couldn't even sleep without waking up screaming?' Yeah, what a _great _idea!" He spat out the last few words, making Tooth flinch.

"Jack, he did the same to me. He did the same to all of us," she said gently, laying her hand over his.

He snatched his hand away. "No, he didn't! You guys weren't tied up and whipped and stabbed and burned and beaten until you were almost dead. Having your worst fears—" his breath became more labored—"be fed to you every day, so that they infected your mind and tortured you every single minute. Awake or asleep. Were you guys—" tears started pouring down his face as he choked out—"_raped_ _every single hour_ until you passed out? Were you made to swallow his dick and his sperm, and if you tried to throw it up, he would just beat you some more, then make you swallow it with your own blood?"

"Jack—" Tooth tried.

"DID HE?!" he yelled.

"No, but—"

"But what?" he hissed, glaring at her. Tooth felt a prickle of horror as she saw his pupils dilated until they had overcame his irises. "He didn't do that to any of you guys. He did it to me because he KNEW that I was too weak to stop him. That I practically deserved it!" The pupils had taken over his entire eyes. He looked like a white-haired demon.

"Jack, he didn't, but that doesn't mean that no one should ever go through what you did! Especially not you," she added, as she sat on his bed and captured his face in her hands, and held it firmly as he struggled in between her fingers. She forced him to look her in the eyes, trying to ignore the feeling that she was looking into a soulless being. This was Jack. He had a soul. He had a soul and he had feelings. And those feelings were damaged badly. "Jack, I'm sorry that Pitch hurt you. And I know that I will probably never understand all the pain and hurt you went through when he had you. But we can help you. We can help you get rid of the pain if you just _let us_. But you _have _to _trust_ us."

"You don't even trust me," he gasped.

"That's not true. I trust you with all my heart," she said honestly. "And I want you to trust me like that, too."

"I do!" he insisted, the black beginning to retracting. A thin line of his irises were beginning to show. He clasped his hands over her hands on his face, and gently pried them off and laid them in his lap. She noticed that his hands were shaking. "It's just…"

"What happened at Easter wasn't your fault."

"It's not that." He shuddered.

"Then what?" she asked desperately, trying to understand what was causing this...this madness. His eyes were slightly back to normal.

"I _know _that it wasn't my fault. But after Pitch just kept on feeding me the idea _over _and _over _and _over _again….." He shook his head. She reached her hand up to stroke his face, but then the bottle that Bunny had given him fell out of her lap. It spilled open, and golden sand spilled out of the bottle. The sharp, pungent smell of apple cinnamon filled her nostrils. She lowered her hand so she so she could grab it before all of it spilled out. To her surprise, though, Jack caught her outstretched hand and gently pressed her hand against his bare chest.

She stifled a gasp as she felt his cold, almost marble skin against her palms. She could feel the heat rising off of his skin, his pulse faintly flickering beneath her fingers. His face was still flushed, sweat beading at his forehead. "Jack, I think you have a fever," she said in alarm, lifting her other hand to wipe off the sweat.

His hand shot out and grabbed her wrist and pressed the other against his chest. He pulled her closer so that they were both on their knees in front of each other, eyes staring into each other. "Okay, Jack, you're starting to scare me."

He cast his eyes downwards. "I'm sorry. But I really need you to do me a favor."

She hesitated, then nodded. He leaned in, his breath smelling of the herbal tea that he always would drink. "Don't let go," he breathed. She was about to ask what he meant, but then he closed his eyes, then his mouth slanted over hers as he kissed her. Her eyes widened in surprise, making a noise in the back of her throat. He released one of her hands and gently held one side of her face, stroking her cheek gently.

Losing all sense of reason, she closed her eyes and leaned into his palm. His fingers, though cold as ice, were as soft a satin on her skin. Her eyes fluttered open when she felt his lips leave hers. He was looking back at her, his eyes a pure silver light again.

His mouth formed her name, but it came out oddly disjointed. "Tooth. Tooth. Tooth! Tooth!"

She blinked, and suddenly Jack wasn't holding her anymore. He was still lying in his bed, the covers pulled up to his waist, looking at her with an eyebrow raised. His eyes were slightly back to normal, his pupils a bit larger than they should have been. But her wrists were not shackled in his hands, or pressed bodily against him as he kissed her. She remembered how cold they were, but they melted against her skin—

"Tooth!" he repeated.

"What? Yes?"

"I said you dropped your bottle," he said, looking slightly annoyed.

"Huh?" she glanced down and saw that the bottle was still there, the sand spilled out. It gleamed oddly in the light. She squinted at it, then widened her eyes as she recognized the sand. _It'll calm him down if he gets upset_.

By showing him his desire come true! It was one of Sandy's specialized sands that made the user live one of their deepest desires, taken only by inhaling the scent. She clasped a hand over her mouth. _Omigod, _that's _what my deepest desire is?!_

"Tooth, are you okay?" he asked, starting to get worried now.

"Huh? Yeah, I'm just, uh—" she realized that she still hadn't closed it, and hurried to pick up the bottle and screw the lid shut. "I'm sorry, I haven't been getting enough sleep and it's hard to function—"

"Is that Sandy's D.S. sand?" Jack interrupted, eyeing the bottle in her hand.

"Uh, yeah, it is."

"Oh." A mischievous look appeared on to his face. "You sniffed it didn't you?" She rolled her eyes, but didn't say anything. "What did you see?" he asked curiously.

"Believe me, you don't want to know," she muttered.

"Is about me walking around naked?" he teased.

"Jack!"

"Hey, can't blame a guy for trying!" he laughed. Despite herself, she giggled. "Anyway, may I see it?"

"What for?"

"Well, it _was _for me, am I right?" he asked.

She rolled her eyes. "I can't get anything past you can I?"

"Nope!" he said cheerfully as she handed it to him. He studied the capsule, turning it over in his fingers a few times, examining the unique illustrations on the tiny bottle before laying it down in his lap. "I think I'll save it, for when I'm really down," he told her. "MiM knows I need a good dream."

"How do you know what it'll show you?"

"Because I already know my deepest desires," he replied.

"Really? It takes a lot for somebody to realize that."

"And I think I've been through a lot. Enough for me to realize what I really want."

"There's a lot of things in the world that you can desire."

"Yeah," he agreed quietly, "but I think that most people would agree with me if I said that one of my top three desires was to destroy Pitch Black. To make him feel as much pain and agony as he made me."

Tooth had almost forgotten that the boy laying in front of her had been tortured and raped, he just seemed so…..carefree. He was _himself_ again.

Trying to change the subject, she asked in a gentle tone, "And what's another one of your top desires?"

Jack glanced at her, then smirked. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

She frowned, a haughty look on her face. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing," he said, waving his hand carelessly.

"Nope, too late. Now I want to know."

"Sorry! No can do!" To prove his point, he pretended to zip his lips shut.

She rolled her eyes. "Jack….we still need you to let us….to let us go through with the surgery," she reminded him.

He shrugged. "I never said you couldn't."

"Wait, so you'll do it?"

"Of course. My butt hurts when I sit," he grumbled, wiggling in his bed. "Wouldn't _you _want it to be healed as soon as possible?"

"Yes, but I thought that you would at least put up a fight!"

"Only if you ask nicely." He winked at her.

She rolled her eyes, but giggled again.

* * *

"Okay, so he says he'll go through with the surgery!" Tooth announced, unable to wipe the goofy grin off his face as she waltzed in midair back into the sitting room where others were waiting for her.

"What happened to ya?" Bunny asked, instantly noticing the happy look on her face.

"Hmm? Oh nothing," the fairy replied happily, practically skipping in midair towards them.

Bunny and North glanced at each other, but they decided not to say anything. "Jack will go through with surgery?" North asked.

She nodded. "He says that he would prefer it soon as possible."

"Actually, there is a problem with that," he said, standing up. "Jack cannot go to sleep without encountering nightmares from Pitch unless Sandy is fighting them. And we cannot do both at same time."

"Wait, so what are you saying, North?"

"I'm saying that he and Sandy are going to have to confront the fears in Jack's mind, to rid him of them once and for all. They have affected him enough."

"Okay. So should I go find Sandy and bring him up to Jack?" she asked.

"That would be best," North agreed. "He is in the highest room in the tallest tower. He is trying to…_forget_ a few things."

Her face fell when she remembered what she had witnessed an hour ago. She felt her feathers lift up with goosebumps as she remembered Jack's screams of pain and…and….

_No. _She would NOT let herself think about that. She wouldn't be sucked up into sadness and pity for him. He would hate that. Tooth took a deep breath and smoothed back her head feathers. "Okay. I'll go get him." She hurried out of the room.

It took her a while to find it, there being so many rooms and so many staircases, but she finally found Sandy, swinging his feet over the edge of the windowsill while staring out into the frosty night.

"Hey, there!" she called. Sandy glanced over his shoulder, then waved, though not with as much enthusiasm as before. She flew over to him and gently pulled him off of the ledge. "Easy there, champ. We don't want you falling off and hurting yourself," she reminded him in the lightest tone she could manage.

Sandy only shrugged. "Look, I know that now probably isn't the best time, but Jack needs you," she told him. His eyes widened, and he shook his head. "I know, it's probably hard to see him after what happened," she admitted, "but we need to help him recover, mentally as well as physically. And we can't do either, because when he sleeps, he needs _you _to keep him from having nightmares."

He looked at her questioningly. "We're preparing him for surgery," she explained, "and we'll have to put him under. But he'll be subject to nightmares for who knows how long. And we can't do that to him. So we need you to help him get rid of the bad dreams."

The sandman only stared at her.

"Please, Sandy," she pleaded. "He really needs this."

He exhaled loudly, then nodded. "Really? Omigosh, thank you so much, Sandy!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms around the short man's neck. He tinkled in laughter, patting her back clumsily. As soon they finished their embrace, Tooth immediately darted out the room. The sandman followed her as she zoomed down the multiple staircases and through the rooms.

She burst through the doors of Jack's room. He wasn't in the bed, to her surprise. She glanced around the room, then found him sitting at the table in the corner, eating from the breakfast plate Tooth had gotten him before she had gone down to tell the other Guardians what had happened. She was faintly surprised to see him there, not thinking he was well enough to be up and about, but was glad that he had found the strength to do so.

"Hey, Tooth, Sandy," he greeted, wiping his mouth with a bandaged arm, then frowned. "Where's North and Bunny? Aren't we starting on the surgery?"

"Actually, Jack, there's something we have to do first," Tooth told him, sitting in the chair beside him. "Before we start, we think that it'll be best if we work out all of the nightmares in your head before we anesthetize you," she explained, folding her hands on top of the table.

Jack's eyes widened, but he didn't say anything. For a second, Tooth was worried that she might have offended him somehow. But then he said in a scratchy whisper, "You-You really think that you could get rid of my nightmares?"

"Well, there's no guarantee—" she admitted.

But Jack interrupted her. There was a kind of spark in his eyes, one that she hadn't seen since she had told him that he was a human before he was Jack Frost. The same kind of energy filled him up, giving her a sense of déjà vu as he began to speak rapidly. "That I'll be able to-to sleep at night? To-To have a good dreams? To be able to—"

"We're going to try," she put in, laying a hand on his shoulder. He didn't flinch, but she wasn't sure if he had even noticed. "We're going to try and get them to stop." Sandy nodded in agreement.

Jack took a deep breath, obviously trying not to get overexcited. "Okay. Um, do we start now?"

She smiled. "I think that that would be for the best. Do you want me to stay, or—?"

"I think you should leave. I don't want you getting hurt," he said, concern in his eyes.

"Okay." She was about to lean over and give him a quick peck on the cheek, but then she remembered how he felt about touch. So she leaned back. To her surprise, though, he reached up and gently kissed _her_ on the cheek, on the line where her feathers and skin met.

Tooth felt her cheeks heat up as she hastily flew backwards, a hand over the spot where he kissed her. "I, uh, um, have t-to, uh, go," she stammered before flying out of the room.

Sandy glared at Jack. "What?" he exclaimed defensively. The sandman rolled his eyes, but didn't reply. He scooped Jack in his arms as if he weighed no more than a sack of flour and began to carry him over to the bed. "Hey! I can walk, you know!" he complained as he laid him in the bed.

He wiggled his finger at him, then held out his palm to the side. A small strand of golden dust slithered out of his palm. He gave the boy an 'are-you-ready?' look. Jack nodded. "I'm ready." Sandy nodded and took a deep breath, then watched as the strand gently wove itself around Jack's head. His chrysalis eyes watched it as it went around his eyes once, twice, before it plunged into his ear.

Jack gasped at the sensation; it wasn't unpleasant, but he wasn't sure if he liked it either. But then he felt flickers of….something against himself. He sighed in content and leaned back against the pillows. Then he gasped as he sat upright again, a flash of pain ripping through his mind.

Sandy frowned as he met some resistance into Jack's head. He pushed harder, and Jack winced. He shot him an apologetic glance before continuing his probing. Jack silently endured this before another flash of pain—this one more stronger—made him cry out and grip at both sides of his head with his hands. Sandy looked at him in alarm.

At the same time, one the other side of Jack's head, black guck began to ooze out of his other ear. He shuddered as the sticky goo trailed across his neck, and tried to shake it off. It simply collected and gathered in one spot in the air, until it became a huge ball of black goo.

The two Guardians stared at it as it became bigger and bigger, starting to wriggle at the sides. Jack felt a shadow of foreboding cast over him as he watched it take shape in front of him.

Suddenly, black sand started to swirl out of it from nowhere. Sandy pulled his own sand away in surprise as it circled around the blackness in the air. It twirled around it, becoming longer and wider until it was only a few feet away from the ceiling. Jack suddenly knew what was going to happen.

The black mist cleared. A tall, lean figure stood where the ooze was. Its sharp, cruel gaze landed upon Jack. The pale lips grinned.

"Hello, Jack," Pitch Black greeted softly.

* * *

Sandy's reaction was instant; he lashed a sand whip that had suddenly appeared in his hand around Pitch's waist. The boogeyman yelled out as he swung him across the room and flung him into the opposite wall and crumpled to the ground. He snarled as he got to his feet. "Why so serious, sandman?" he panted, dusting his clothes. "Me and Jack were just about a little more fun." He stepped towards the boy, who was pressing himself against the bedpost, his eyes wide in terror.

Before he could even take half a step, Sandy lashed his whip again, knocking him back into the wall. Then he lifted the whip up and swirled it above his head like a lasso before slamming him into the ground. He uncoiled the whip around him, and was about to bring back down on him when Pitch suddenly grabbed the end of the lash, and yanked on it. Surprised, Sandy didn't think to let go until he was flying over Pitch's head and crashed into the wall. He crumpled to the ground and didn't move.

Pitch tossed his head back and laughed, Nightmares appearing by his side. Like their master, they tossed their heads back and neighed, kicking up their feet, a few rearing back. "You know, I think that it's a lovely thing for you to keep all the other Guardians away, Jack," he purred, stepping towards the frightened boy. "You are so overprotective of them. Even when they can't protect you." Jack scrabbled against the bed sheets, as if trying to force himself into the bedpost.

The boogeyman laughed. "You're so dramatic, Jack. You should have expected this!" he exclaimed. "I mean, I _am _your worst fear. Am I right? And therefore, trying to expel your worst fear is trying to expel me from inside of you. Speaking of which, I very much enjoyed being inside of you." He licked his lips as he reached the other side of Jack's bed. "Mentally _and physically." The ice spirit whimpered as Pitch leaned over the edge, reaching his arm out to touch him._

At that, the sandman began to stir. He groaned and pushed himself up to his tiny feet. He spotted Pitch, about to have Jack in his hand. Sandy leaped at Pitch, desperately trying to keep him from touching Jack. Pitch heard the swoosh behind him, and spun around, backhanding him with all of his might. The Guardian was flung across the room and crashed into one of the tables, which immediately collapsed over him.

"Sandy!" Jack cried.

Pitch snarled as he strode towards the Guardian, who was struggling to his feet. "I've had enough of you!" He pulled out a long dagger from his robes and held it over him. Sandy's eyes widened at the sight of the long blade. "I didn't know I would have the pleasure of doing this twice!" he laughed mirthlessly, before swinging it down on him.

Time seemed to slow down for Jack. He felt himself press against the bedpost, then the muscles in his legs coiling before springing at Pitch. He remembered flying through the air, the only thought on his mind was, _Not again. Not Sandy. _The next thing he knew, his fingers were curling around Pitch's thin neck.

A roar ripped itself from Jack's throat as he tackled Pitch to the ground, pinning him down. The boogeyman choked out in surprise as he found himself on his back, the injured boy on top of him, his eyes filled with rage. Before he knew it, blows were being delivered to his face, chest, and abdomen. Pitch wriggled underneath him, crying out in pain as Jack continually punched him with all his might. He jabbed his fists into him as hard as he could. He kept him from getting up, digging his feet painfully into his wrists.

Snarling, Pitch found the knife that had clattered beside him after being knocked down, and flicked his wrist, slashing it across Jack's ankle. Jack gasped, and Pitch used the distraction to deliver a blow to the face. Jack cried out as he hit the ground, a hand against the place where he was punched.

Before he could move, Pitch seized him by the neck, and flung him against the wall. He slammed against it before falling to the ground and rolling away from it. Jack felt black spots against his eyes as he struggled to think through the haze of pain.

Pitch yowled like a feral cat as he leapt for Jack. He gasped, then, thinking quickly, rolled on to his back and held out both his feet, and braced himself. As soon as Pitch hit his feet, he grunted as he kicked him over his head. He crashed into a nightstand, and before he could get up, Jack jumped him.

"You little—!" he began to snarl, but Jack cut him off as his elbow met the side of his head, effectively silencing him. Jack grunted as he fought to keep him down, trying to dodge his flailing knife. Pitch managed to drive it into his shoulder, in the exact same place where he had been stabbed before. He screamed in agony as Pitch ripped it out, but didn't let him up.

He forced Pitch's arm down before wrestling the knife out of his hand. "What are you going to do, Jack?" he panted as he set the knife against his throat. "Are you going to kill me? Are you _really _going to go against your vows just for revenge? What will the other Guardians think? What will _Tooth _think?"

Jack knew what he was trying to do. He was trying to plant fear and doubt into his mind, like he had done so many times before. To give Pitch that moment of weakness, just enough for him to overpower him.

And he wouldn't let that happened again.

Frosty blue met pitch black.

"Yes," he said simply, lifting up his arm, "I am." With all of his might, he brought down the knife at Pitch's chest—

And pierced black dust.

Jack stared incredulously as he found himself laying on a pile of dark sand. "Wha-What? What just—? Where did he—?" He looked around desperately, as if hoping that Pitch was hiding behind a lamp or something. He barely noticed that the knife he was holding had turned to dust, too.

Sandy sighed as he got to his feet and swept the debris off of his clothes before walking over to Jack and laying a hand on Jack's shoulder. The poor spirit was shaking with disbelief and horror.

"Bu-But he's still out there!" he cried, trying to get to his feet, then winced as he felt a stab of pain from his newest wound. Sandy soothingly patted his shoulder, and forced him to sit down, then looked around for something to help staunch the blood.

Thankfully, at that precise moment, North and the other Guardians burst through the door. His jaw dropped as he looked around, then found Jack sitting on the floor, his eyes wide as if he had just learned that everything he had been told was a lie.

"Jack! Are you okay, mate?" Bunny asked as he hurried over to him, Tooth hovering anxiously behind him.

He opened his mouth to answer when he felt a tingling in his arm. He frowned as he looked down at it. The blood was starting to slowly creep backwards, up his arm, and back into the wound. It continued tingling as the ripped bandage started to seam itself together over his newest injury, somehow magically repairing itself. Jack couldn't even feel the pain anymore. It had healed.

Jack blinked in surprise. "Well, that's new," he said, looking up at the others.

"Obviously," Bunny agreed, poking and prodding at his arm.

"Hey, watch it! It still hurts!" he yelped.

"Sorry, mate."

"What happened?" Tooth demanded, sitting next to Jack.

Jack told the others what happened after Sandy had tried to push the fear out of his head while Tooth checked him for any more injuries, but even the bruise that should have formed from Pitch's punch had mysteriously vanished. When he had finished, Tooth wrapped her arms around him tightly, to his surprise.

"Uh, Tooth?"

"You faced your fear, Jack," she whispered, laying her head on his shoulder. "You did it."

"Wait, what?"

"Jack, you were able to look fear in face," North said gently. "You were able to dispel Pitch from you!"

"Congrats, mate!" Bunny grinned, giving him a pat on the back.

He winced, but smiled back. "So, can I go to sleep now?" he asked.

"Of course," North assured him, picking him up in his arms, and carried him over to his bed. Jack watched guiltily as North had to step over the broken pieces of furniture. "We'll clean up the mess later," North promised as he laid him down in the bed.

"But….what about the surgery?" he asked as North picked up all the strewn covers.

"Shh, Jack. Just sleep," he said, pressing a finger to his lips.

Jack nodded, then yawned as he pulled the covers up to his chin and curled into a ball. He felt oddly peaceful, something he hadn't in weeks. He knew, without even thinking about it, that he would have no nightmares tonight.

The other Guardians gathered around him, watching. He looked up at all of them, feeling…._content. _Happy. At home. Tooth smiled as she fluttered down and sat beside him, and gently ran her fingers through his hair. It felt nice. "Go to sleep, Jack," she whispered. "We're here."

"I know," he replied before closing his eyes. Just before sleep claimed him, he muttered, just loud enough for them to hear, "I love you guys." Then he was asleep.

Bunny and North turned away hastily to wipe their eyes as Sandy sprinkled his dust over him. Instead of turning black again, it circled around him, like it was supposed to. The corners' of his mouth turned up as the dream came into him. The sandman nodded, and left after the other two Guardians.

Now it was just Tooth and Jack. She gently traced his oval-shaped face with her index finger. He just looked so peaceful, the golden sand working images above his head.

She watched the swirls take shape before a fairy emerged from the dust. Tooth blinked in surprise; it was herself. Then Jack's little sand copy was there, and they were dancing around his head, moving around as if skating. She chuckled to herself, then bent over and gently kissed him on the forehead.

"Sweet dreams, Jack," she whispered before leaving.

* * *

Anybody catch the Joker reference? No? Did I use it wrong?


	16. Recovery

Guys, guys! I'm almost at 100 reviews! I only need three more! :D I think you know what to do!

* * *

Jack awoke to the faint sound of humming. He blinked his eyes open to see the fairy sitting at the foot of his bed, playing with the fraying edges of his covers. He didn't move, though, worried that she would notice that he was awake. He didn't want her to stop singing. It was nice to listen to, soothing, calming, like laying in the soft snow after a long day. It didn't come close to her singing, of course- he doubt he was able to stay asleep then. But the sweet, caressing sound of her voice was enough to slowly cradle him back to slumber. To his extreme disappointment, she ended the song early, continuing to pluck at the covers. Unable to prevent himself, he propped himself up on his elbows and asked, "Why did you stop?"

She looked up in surprise. "Jack! You're awake!" she exclaimed, hovering over the bed in surprise.

"Yeah, I guess." He rubbed at his eyes as he opened his mouth in a wide yawn. To be truthful, Jack suddenly wanted to crawl under the covers and be engulfed by his dreams again. _Dreams..._He felt a slight cooling in his cheeks, blushing ever so slightly as he remembered his latest dream. The best he had had in his entire life.

"Did you sleep well?" she prompted as she took a seat in the plush chair besides him. Jack noticed that they were Venetian golden chairs with plush cushions. _Hmm...maybe I should ask North if I can borrow a few for myself, _he thought, forgetting that Tooth had been talking to him.

"Uh, Jack?"

He blinked. "Huh?'

Tooth rolled her eyes. "I just asked you if you slept well."

He grinned as he fell back into the pillows, remembering the dream he had had. He and Tooth had been on the lake in Burgess, skating across it. It was so simple and childish, but he felt a dull warmth settling in his chest. It was simply amazing how the most innocent of things could make him feel so happy. And there were so many simple things that made him happy now. He was a Guardian, he had friends, children could see him, Jamie, Tooth...

"Yeah, I guess you could say that."

"Really?" she leaned over so that she was lying beside him on her stomach. "What did you dream about?"

He shrugged, trying to hide the tingling in his cheeks as he felt her side press against him, her feathers brushing against his bare skin. "Stuff," he was no way he was gonna tell her what the sandman had decided to give him for his sleep. She would think he was crazy, or insane. Or realized that he was in love with her. _That wouldn't be too bad, _he thought. But he still wasn't going to tell her.

She glanced over the fluffy pillows. "Just stuff?"

He rolled his eyes. "No, I dreamt about naked female elves stripping on a pole while singing Justin Bieber."

"You were?" she gasped, looking scandalized.

"No! I was kidding!"

"Oh. Well, then…." She bounced herself off of the bed and into the air in that cute 'I'm-just-happy-that-I'm-alive' way of hers. "I'm going to make you breakfast," she announced. "The same as last time?"

"Yes, please!" Jack chirped, sitting upright, his hunger suddenly renewed. She laughed as she ruffled his hair, then darted out of the room. The fairy flew down the stairs down to the kitchen, where the other Guardians were making their own breakfasts. North was eating cookies with a big mug of milk, while Bunny had his normal carrots-wrapped-in-thistles sandwich. Sandy was simply drinking hot cocoa.

"Hey, Tooth," Bunny greeted, taking a sip from his cup of water. "How's Frostbite?"

"Much better," she replied happily, taking a saucer of freshly cooked sausages off of the stove and tipping six on to a plate. "He didn't have any nightmares, which is good."

"No tossing turning?" North asked.

"Yep!" she scooped up some eggs in a huge spoon and dumped them on the plate before going over to the waffle maker.

"Wow, are you sure that he's ready for that much food, mate?" Bunny exclaimed as she carried over three Belgian waffles in one hand and a bottle of syrup in the another. It looked like it was enough to feed a full grown giant.

"Bunny, he hasn't eaten in weeks," she shot.

"He ate yesterday!"

"He didn't finish it!" she reminded him as she laid the plate on a tray.

"And whose fault was that?"

She rolled her eyes. "Can you hand me the hot chocolate?" she said to North.

"Does he even like hot chocolate?" he exclaimed. "I mean, his name _is_ Jack Frost."

"Yes, he does," Tooth answered, taking the steaming mug with whipped cream on top from North. "Just because he's an ice spirit doesn't mean he likes just cold stuff," she shot as she sprinkled apple cinnamon on it.

"She has good point, Bunny," North put in.

Bunny snorted. "So if I take him to the Sahara Desert, you're telling me that he won't melt like an icicle?"

"Excuse me, gentlemen, but I have to go take this up to Jack," she broke in, flashing a stern glance at the rabbit before turning around and flittering up back up to Jack's room. He was reading a book, to her surprise, when she came in. "Whatchu reading?" she asked as she laid the tray on his lap.

He shrugged as he dog-eared the page he was on and set it on the nightstand. "_Where the Heart Is_."

"Where the heart is?" she repeated as she sat down in the chair next to his bed and set her own tray on her lap.

"Yeah. It's a really good book. I remember reading it about a decade ago, and I saw that North had it in that little bookcase over there. And I just wanted to read it again." Jack leaned against his pillows and poked at the Belgian waffles with his fork before picking it up and examining it with apparent interest.

"Wow, I didn't know you liked romance novels."

The fork slid from his fingers and hit the tray with a clatter. He turned his head, gaping at her. "It's not a romance!" he exclaimed.

"Jack, it's called, 'where the heart is'. I'm pretty sure that it's a romance."

He rolled his eyes. "No, the only reason why it's called that is because the main character tells her boyfriend that when she's trying to get him to feel the baby's heartbeat."

"I just heard boyfriend," she teased.

"No! Okay, here's how the story goes. Novalee and her boyfriend, Willy Jack, are traveling west. She's seven months pregnant, only seventeen, and apparently seven is an unlucky number for her, because when she stops at a Wal-Mart to go pee and buy some shoes, she gets seven dollars and seventy-seven cents back, and when she comes out, Willy Jack's left her in the middle of nowhere."

"Oh."

"So at first, she just lives inside the Wal-Mart for a couple more weeks, meeting all these people, then she has her baby, Americus, inside of Wal-Mart. It's a huge thing, and everybody comes to visit her in the hospital, giving her money stuff. Then her mom comes—"

"Let me guess, she's angry that she ran away?"

"No. Her mother left her for some baseball player when she was seven."

"Again with the sevens!" Tooth complained.

He ignored her. "Anyway, her mom comes, and pretends that she'll take care of the baby, and tells Novalee to give here the six-hundred dollars that she got from everybody, saying that they'll buy a house for Americus and everything."

"Does she?"

He shook his head. "No. Her mom runs off with the money. But one of the people she met in the town takes her and Americus in. Then she gets a job, and starts making a life for herself. She even goes back to school to become a professional photographer, and makes the house that she always dreamed of."

"And Americus?"

Jack grinned. "Becomes the sweetest little girl you can imagine." In fact, Americus almost reminded Jack of Jamie. The little girl seemed to be as bouncy and cheery as him, though was a great deal more intelligent, Jack had to admit.

"Wow…"

"Yeah. Even after she was kidnapped."

"What? She was kidnapped?"

He nodded. "At seven months, during Christmas, Novalee and Forney went out to go get a Christmas tree, and apparently some idiots decided to sneak into the house and baptized her against her will."

She covered her mouth with her hand. "They didn't."

"They did. But she turned out all right. They all did. Except for Willy Jack."

"The guy who left Novalee?"

"Yep. He went to jail, wrote a really good song and was starting to make it big in the music industry, but then a woman said that he stole her song, and then his whole new life got shut down. Then he started wallowing around, all pissed off and stuff, then gets his legs cut off by a train." He shuddered.

"Oh my Moon. Did he live?"

"Yeah, he lived. He starts traveling east again, looking for the town where he left her, and Novalee finds out. It's been about seven years since he abandoned her, right? And she hasn't heard a single word from him since. She thinks he's going to try and take away Americus, so she goes over to the town where he's in the hospital, to confront him. Turns out he's not, he's just trying to make amends for what he did to her. And she forgives him."

"This book seems long and complicated," she groaned, leaning back in her chair.

"It's not!" he said eagerly. "It's really good, one of the top ten of the last century!"

"That's only a hundred years," she reminded him.

"Killjoy," he muttered, laying back in his pillows, then glanced at Tooth. "But you should read it. It's really good."

"You know, I never made you out to be a book person," she said, shifting her own plate in her lap and glanced at him curiously.

He shrugged. "Neither did I. But when you've been alone for over a century and there's just a whole new world that you can just _dive _into, well...it was an escape. An escape from reality. And I resent that," he added, glaring at her playfully. "I mean, what about me says I don't read books?"

Tooth rolled her eyes. "How about you eat those pancakes before they get cold?" she suggested before picking up a piece with her own fork and shoving it in his mouth.

He choked on it for a couple seconds before managing to swallow it down. "Don't ever do that again—" he began before she stuck a spoonful of eggs into his mouth. She laughed as he fought to get it down. "You are EVIL," he gasped, rubbing his throat.

She scoffed. "Please. I could be so much worse."

"Yeah. As bad as a hummingbird," he teased.

She glanced at him. "You don't want to test me," she said seriously.

He raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really?"

"You wait, when you get out of these bandages, I am going to destroy you," she promised.

"Yeah, and while you entertain that thought, I am going to eat my food without choking on it," Jack replied. Tooth rolled her eyes, but let him eat in peace.

* * *

"Is he ready for operation?" North asked Tooth when she emerged from his room.

She nodded. "He says he's ready."

"Okay. Bunny?" North said, turning to the Easter Bunny.

"Bring it on, mate," he growled, pounding his fist into one paw.

Tooth hesitated, then begged, her worry and anxiousness getting the best of her, "Be careful with him."

"Do not fear, Tooth. He will be safe with us," North assured her. "We will be careful. You go relax with Sandy."

She took a deep breath. "Okay."

"Besides, it'll only take, like, what? Four, five hours?" Bunny added.

Her eyes widened. "You're not serious?" "He has many injuries," North reminded her.

"It will take us short time to do them with both of us, though."

Tooth sighed. "Okay. Just…tell me when you're done?"

"Of course," he promised. She nodded and flittered down the stairs. North turned to Bunny, and asked, "Are you ready, friend?"

"As ready as I'll ever be, mate," he sighed, slipping on a pair of gloves, then began to push the cart besides them into Jack's room. Jack looked up from a book he was reading, and nodded to the two Guardians.

"Is it time?" he asked as Bunny they to set up the machines around him.

"I'm afraid so, mate."

He shrugged. "I could die if we don't get it done. To be honest, I'm kinda glad." Bunny stopped and looked up at the boy in surprise. "What? The sooner I get this over with the better. Besides, I want to be able to kick Pitch's ass as soon as possible," he grinned.

Bunny couldn't help but chuckle as he laid the kid down. "Okay, we're going to put you in a sleep for a while. So we're just gonna put this over your face—" he lifted up a gas mask with a small cord attached—"and you'll be out in a wink, okay?"

"Got it."

"Okay. Good luck, mate." He gently pressed the mask over Jack's face. Jack inhaled deeply, then a shudder ran through his body as his eyelids fluttered shut. Bunny gently strapped the mask to his face, then turned to North. "Alright, let's do this, mate."

They began to work on Jack, carefully inserting tubes through his mouth and nostrils down his throat to help regulate his breathing and pump out excess air.

Then came the tedious task of having to remove the lung, it being severely ripped and torn by one of his ribs. The elves ran back and forth out the room, carrying the items that North and Bunny needed. As they focused on taking out the punctured lung, the Easter Bunny's eyes continually flicked over to the heart monitor, then darted away, afraid that the moment his eyes met with the screen, the zigzags would form a single, straight line, and the beeping that comforted him would become an endless wail.

But thankfully, Jack's heart continued to pump true and strong. North sighed in relief as he looked down at him after sewing up the incision into him, breathing regularly, even when his lung was lying in a puddle of blood on a tray next to the rib. He wiped off the beads of sweat that had collected at the top of his forehead, then called, "I need the pins!"

An elf hurried over to him, holding a small tray with wires, plates, pins, and screws. North nodded to him in thanks, then put the tray on the table. "Okay, now for pelvis," he muttered. Bunny stepped aside and let Father Christmas work on Jack, having no knowledge on the subject whatsoever. North would occasionally bark out at him to hand him something, and Bunny would wordlessly hand it to him.

It seemed to take forever to fix the broken pelvis. North had to wire the broken pieces together, then put plates in the gaps, then screw them together, piece by piece. There were a few times where he had to go back and correct a mistake, beginning to make him paranoid about his work. He knew that one false move could damage Jack for life, even kill him. He would even check the veins for any blood clots, or bones to see if any damage had been done to them during the operation. But thankfully, none could be found, and it was done.

North exhaled wearily as he collapsed into a chair. "Bunny, do you think you could tape ribs?" he asked. "I am much too tired."

"Of course, mate." Bunny hurried over to his side with the surgical tape in one hand, and began to wrap it around his chest, over the bandages from the stitched-up wounds on his skin. As he carefully pulled the tape tight over Jack, he wondered how Pitch had stabbed him so many times, so deep each time, but never seemed to damage any vital organs or blood vessels. Then again, he supposed that if he did, Jack probably already fixed it up during the time he had kept his injuries a secret.

When he was wrapped up nice and tight, Bunny turned to North. Now would begin probably the most—there was no other word for it—gross part of the surgeries. They already had blood on their gloves and aprons, but now they would actually have to dig inside of Jack's anus.

Bunnymund gently propped Jack's knees up into a 45 degree angle, then forced himself to pull down Jack's slacks. He tried to avoid looking at his groin, uncomfortable to see another man's….thing. Well, actually, he was a rabbit, not a man, but still! To avoid looking at it, he roughly pushed it on to his lap so that it wasn't in his way. Bunny took a deep breath and got down on his knees to peer into Jack's anus.

It looked bad, even without it being open. It was swollen and puffy and an angry red. "What do you see, Bunny?" North asked.

"It's pretty bad down here, mate. I don't think Epsom salt and the cream's gonna do it."

"поиметь. Wait! I think I have the perfect remedy." North jumped out of his chair and darted out of the room. Bunny didn't know what to do, alone in the room with a naked Jack. It was slightly awkward, with him still on his knees facing Jack's entrance, and would be more than embarrassed if someone happened to walk in on them. But thankfully, North was back in a couple minutes, a small bowl with a thick, white liquid inside.

"Open him up," he ordered.

"You're not serious?"

North glared at him. "Bunny, he could DIE from infection in his anus!"

"But how in the bloody hell am I supposed to open him up?"

"I do not know! Just, um….put fingers in and stretch?" he suggested. The Easter Bunny rolled his eyes, but put two fingers into Jack's hole. It felt…strange. The skin clung tightly to his fingers and he had to fight against the tensed muscles to stretch it open. He gagged into his arm.

Jack must of sensed something in his deep slumber, because he groaned and tried to pull away from Bunny. "Sorry, mate," he sighed as he dipped his fingers into the cream that North held down beside him, then slipped them back inside and quickly rubbed them on his inner walls. The boy began to groan and buck his hips and kicked out his feet, almost hitting Bunny. "Stop," he whispered faintly, barely loud enough for him to hear. He immediately pulled out and wiped his fingers on the towel beside him, making a face.

"Don't ever make me do that again," Bunny growled as he stood up.

"I doubt we will get the chance," North laughed. "Come, we must go to Toothiana. I fear she might have a heart attack if she goes any longer without knowing if Jack is okay."

He glared at him, but didn't say anything as he pulled the mask off of Jack, then pulled back on his pants, and put the cover back over him, then hastily left the room, shuddering at what he had just done.

North was already sitting down in the parlor room in front of Tooth and Sandy. Tooth looked up at the sound of his footsteps, then grinned when she saw who it was. "Bunny, there you are. Come sit next here," she offered, patting the seat next to her on the sofa.

Bunny nodded and sat beside her. "You did a very brave thing, Bunny," she whispered, laying her small, soft hand on his shoulder, gently smoothing the fur down.

He frowned, then realized that North must have told them what he had to do to Jack. He shot him a glare before returning to Tooth. "Well, this old codger decided that it wasn't Christmasy enough for him to go peeping into Jack's little hole."

"Hey, I am only human!" he exclaimed, laughing. Then his face turned serious. "But Bunny, you are very brave for sticking fingers into Jack. I do not think anyone else could do it."

Sandy raised his hand indignantly. "Sandy, we all know why you would, mate," Bunnymund joked. He stuck his tongue out at him, but grinned.

"So he'll be alright?" Tooth pressed.

"If he heals up for another two weeks or so without any damage, yes," North answered.

"Oh good. I can't wait," she chimed, a relaxed look coming on to her face. Then she hesitated, then asked, "What are we gonna do about the Winter Concert? It's next week, and Jack obviously won't be well enough to come in with us."

"The poor bloke would be crushed if we went on without him," Bunny added. Sandy nodded his head eagerly.

North raised his hand for silence. "I never said that we would go on without Jack. I think it be best if we…if we just pull out competition."

"What?" Bunny exclaimed, abruptly sitting upright. "But we have never backed out of the contest before!"

"Bunny, we go on together, or not at all," North said firmly. "Jack is clearly unable to go on. Therefore, we shall wait for him to heal. We will simply join next year."

"It's only 365 more days," Tooth added jokingly.

"But I had bet with Cupid that we would win this year!" Bunny protested.

She rolled her eyes. "You still talk to Cupid? Even though what happened last year between you two? I remember you specifically saying, 'I will never talk to that wretched, no-good, lying—"

"I never said that!"

"Liar."

"I didn't!"

"Did, too!"

"Did not!"

"Did, too!"

"Why must you two squabble like small children?" North groaned, covering his ears with both hands. "You constantly give me headache." Sandy's tinkling laughter filled the room, chasing away the recent memories of the past few weeks. Each of the Guardians could feel a certain….pressure being released from their shoulders, now that they knew that Jack was going to be okay. Tooth leaned against Bunny and laid her head on his shoulder as Sandy dozed in his chair while North passed around a plate of cookies that ranged from peanut butter to chocolate chip that one of the elves had brought, just like during old times.

Yep. There was absolutely nothing to worry about.

Except Pitch, whose black, cruel eyes watched them through the window in the blizzard, the wheels in his head turning as he began to cook up a plan. His eyes narrowed as he focused on the fairy, whose feathers ruffled with laughter at something the rabbit said.

_Soon,_ he thought.

_Soon._

* * *

I apologize for my lack of knowledge for proper medical care.


	17. Bonus Chapter!: Jack's Dream

Apparently I just got my first hate-review. I'm actually surprised that I didn't get one _way _before now, being on my sixteenth chapter. Anyway, to show my thanks for you guys getting me to my hundredth review, I decided to give you guys a bonus chapter! Yay! You'll get your actual chapter in ten more minutes, I promise. And probably the second one, too. I've already written it, actually. I've pre-written most of my chapters, mostly for a back up.

I own nothing.

* * *

I literally just wrote this, so please forgive me for any grammar or spelling mistakes. Full explanation at the end. But right now, I need you guys to trust me. Open up a separate tab or window or something; go on to YouTube, look up The Voice by Celtic Woman, and when you see this symbol - *** start to play it, when you see **, that means pause first, then the second means play, and when you see *** that means the song should have ended. DO IT!

* * *

_Jack's_ _Dream_

When Jack awoke, he didn't realize it at first. He just felt something move at the bottom of his feet and opened his eyes in surprise. But the darkness of his room made it hard to tell the difference. He blinked a couple of times as the room slowly came into focus. He inexplicably tensed at the shadows, then sighed and relaxed back into his bed. _Guess the surgery's over, _he thought, rolling on to his back, even though he could have sworn that he had just been knocked out. Then again, that's probably how it always was. The person falls asleep one second, then feels like they've woken up the next, when in truth they've been asleep for hours. That's how it always was in books.

Jack sighed as he sat up, running his fingers through his white hair, then froze. There was a dark, huddled shape at the edge of his bed, probably what had woken him up in the first place. He stiffened, his heart pounding in his chest, and didn't know whether to be afraid or annoyed. Okay, he was terrified. His pounding heart saw to that. _Okay, there's some stranger sitting on my bed, just sitting there, _he thought. _Too small to be Pitch, so that's a good thing. But that doesn't mean it couldn't be a Nightmare. Or worse._ But as he squinted, he realized that he could see feathers on the edge of the person's outline. When it shuffled again, Jack spotted a familiar flash of turquoise and green.

He instantly relaxed. _Tooth._

Feeling slightly better from his scare, he called out cheerfully, "So you've taken to stalking me now?"

Tooth turned her head, and looked at him calmly, clearly not surprised that Jack was awake. "I wasn't stalking you," she said, her amethyst eyes glinting in the darkness.

"Really, now? I don't think regular people hover over someone while they sleep," he teased.

"Well, I'm not a regular person."

"I know. And that's what makes you so great." He leaned forward, his arms wide open for a hug. But she didn't move from her perch, just watching him with her steely eyes. _Steely? _Jack caught the word in his mind. No, Tooth's eyes were never steely. They were warm, bright, energetic, soft. But he was right; they were as cold as ice. The first prickle of doubt ran through him. "Tooth, are you okay?" he asked as he lowered his arms.

She didn't reply. Instead, she slid off of his bed, not taking her eyes off of him. When she finally spoke, it was in a voice that was not her own. It was deeper, rougher, two things that Jack never associated with Tooth. "I am here only to guide you."

"Guide me? What are you talking about?" Something was wrong. He could tell. He could feel it in the vibrations of his bones. Probably the same way North could feel how something was wrong in his belly. "Tooth, what's going on?"

"My name is not Tooth." Her eyes narrowed at him, making him feel two-inches tall. He wanted to say, _Then who are you?_ But something about the way she was staring at him made his tongue twist And, in some weird, intuitive way, he already knew the answer. For the first time, he saw the difference between Tooth and Toothiana. The creature in front of him was not bubbly and energetic and overly-excited about teeth. She was as deadly and dark as the blade of a double-edged sword. The way she moved as she slid off his bed was one of a predator, her movements practically silent, her body tensed, muscles coiled, as if about to spring to ponce on her prey.

As she stood up and straightened her back, her heart-shaped face tilted upwards proudly, she began to speak in that same unknown voice. "I am Toothiana, Guardian of Memories. I am what helps remind you of what is important, of what counts, of what matters." Her voice slightly softened. "And I am here to help you, Jack."

He blinked. "Help me with what?" he demanded.

***Once again, she didn't reply. Instead, she took a step back, inhaled deeply, then, out of all things, began to _sing._

"_I h__ear your voice on the wind..._"

As she sang, she slowly backed away from him, towards the door, making Jack more confused than ever.

"_And I hear you call out my name..._"

The last note trailed off into the air as she slid behind the door of Jack's room into the darkness. Really confused now, Jack threw off his covers and leaped to his feet. He grabbed his staff from underneath his bed and ran after Tooth. A tiny part of him wondered how he had known where his staff was, but then quickly shook it off. He had to find out what was happening with her.

He peeked his head out of the door, and spotted her in the middle of the hallway, _dancing. _She was actually spinning and twirling to the music of whatever song she was singing._ What is going on? _he wondered as he crept up behind her.

"_'Listen_,_ my child,' you say to me._  
_'I am the voice of your history._  
_Be not afraid, come follow me._"

"Tooth," Jack said cautiously, coming up from behind her. She appeared not to have heard him, though she did stop dancing, simply hovering in a show of moonlight that shone from the skylight. _Okay, maybe if I can just grab her, I can bring her back into the room and call for help, _he thought, edging towards her.

"_Answer my call, and I'll set_ _you_-"

Just when he darted towards her, his arms about to wrap around her waist, something flashed around him. Before he could react, something hard slammed against his whole body, blasting him back. He yelped as he flew through the air before hitting the wall and falling to the ground.

"_Free..._!"

Jack groaned as he pushed himself to his feet with his staff, then glanced up just in time to see a white light fade away into the darkness. Then he froze. In the middle of the hallway, there was a girl standing on one foot, her arms spread out, probably no more than twelve or thirteen, with tanned skin and long black hair that reached her back, held out of her face by a golden band, wearing white top with a teal and gold bodice, along with a purple sarong and golden bangles on her right wrist and left ankle. She turned around, facing Jack, and he stifled a gasp. From underneath the long black lashes, familiar purple eyes gazed at him. His heart nearly turned into a block of ice.

"Tooth," was the only thing he was able to say.

Her head snapped up at the sound of her name, her eyes meeting his. Then, without a warning, she leaped towards out of the nearest window. He gasped and scrambled to his feet and ran towards the window, desperate to save her. But when he stuck his head out and frantically searched the icy tundra below him, he saw...nothing.

_What? _He leaned back, a hand to his forehead, groaning. _Okay, maybe I'm just high on the anesthetic, _he thought. Then he heard singing. _Aw, snowflakes._

"_I am the voice in the wind and the pou__ring rain-_"

He glanced up just in time to see Tooth pull herself on to the roof, the edge of her skirt whipping in the blizzard's wind out of sight. "Tooth wait!" he cried, climbing after her.

"_I am the voice of your hunger and pain._"

He was out of breath when he reached the roof, holding his sides, icy wisps of breath escaping form his mouth. Tooth- at least, he though it was Tooth- was leaping from one conical spire and parapet to the next, blending in parkour with ballet dancing, flipping and twirling gracefully in midair, completely ignoring the parapet walk just a yard below, singing at the top of her lungs. Jack hurried after her, mimicking her jumps. The moon shone down a path that he could follow, making it slightly easier to follow her.

"_I am the voice that always is calling you_  
_I am the voice, I will remain..._"

"Tooth, wait!" he cried, stumbling on one of the pointed towers, but she paid no attention to him.

"_I am the voice in the fields when the summer's gone,_  
_The dance of the leaves when the autumn winds blow!_  
_Ne'er do I sleep throughout all the cold winter long._  
_I am the force that in springtime will grow..._"

She slid down one of the spires on to the parapet walk and started to sprint, her long curly black hair whipping the blizzard wind. Jack saw his chance, and leaped off of the parapet he was on and dove towards her, the wind pushing him even further. But she still managed to keep ahead of him, her feet blurs against the ground. _How the heck is she doing this? _he wondered as he struggled to catch up to her. His eyes slid ahead, trying to find out where she was going, then he gasped. She was heading straight for the edge of the rooftops!

"Tooth, stop!" he yelled, panicking as she ran even faster. He swung his hand with the staff in it at her, trying to snatch her with the curled end of the wooden stick before she could fall off and disappear into the blizzard. It swung harmlessly past her, and, without a single second to spare, she _leaped _off of the roof. "Tooth!" he cried, and, without thinking, plunged into the blizzard after her.

He searched frantically for any sign of her in the billowing snow around him, then caught sight of a fleeting cloud of black hair. He immediately flew after it, seeing more and more of her appear through the thick and icy snow. He landed feet-first into the snow, and froze a path down the hill they were currently on top on and slid down it, struggling to keep the wind from blowing him off of. When he finally saw Tooth, he gaped. She was skating on the top of the snow gracefully, _backward_s, facing him, looking as cool and nonchalant as ever. Her mouth opened, and again she started to sing.

"_I am the voice of the past that will always be_  
_Filled with my sorrow and blood in my fields._  
_I am the voice of the future! Bring me your peace..._"

She brought forth her forearms for him to see, still managing to slide on the snow, and prickles of horror went through him. There were cuts and slashes deep into her skin that seemed to reach the other side of her tanned arms. The blood stained her skin, falling on the snow below them in puddles instead of drops.

"_Bring me your peace, and my wounds, they will heal..._"

Her eyes searched his, wide and pleading. He stared at her, wanting to help but didn't know how. _What the heck am I supposed to do? _he wanted to scream.

_**Your peace, Jack! Your peace! _The voice stretched across the ages, across time, and rung in his head, shaking his thoughts and making his very core vibrate. _Bring me your peace and my wounds will heal..._

_But I am at peace! _he cried. But he knew that was a lie. He thought of the long nights trying to avoid the nightmares that plagued him, the cause of the scars and burns on his body, how he had been told he was worthless, the lies that had been fed to him, making him more weak inside than all the other times in his life, both immortal and mortal. His knees shook as the memories flooded back to him, and he covered his face with his hands, trying to keep the flashes from piling up in front of him. Suddenly, warm, soft hands wrapped each of Jack's, and gently pulled them down from his face and held them in between them. He flicked his eyes forward to see human Tooth's face less than inches away from him. Now that he was closer, he could see little difference between this Tooth and the other, besides the absence of feathers adorning her head and the bright speckles of colors on her eyelashes and lids. It was the same face shape, the same eyes, the same nose, the same lips...She blinked, then offered him a kind smile. Her eyes weren't as they were earlier; they were warmer, kinder, just like the had always been. Voices began to echo in his head.

_You're safe now. _

'Lies.'

_Jack, you have to tell us what happened so that we can help you._

'You can't. No one can.'

_We will always be there for you, Jack._

'But so will Pitch.'

_Pitch will never touch you again._

'You don't know that.'

_Promitto._

'Just words.'

_Jack, how did you get out of there alive?_

'Music. Love.'

_Tooth?_

'Well, her music box, but-'

_I'm sure that Tooth feels _exactly _the same way about you._

'I think so, too.'

He blinked at the last thought in surprise. Where had that thought come from?

_He was raped, Bunny! He was raped! Who would want to go through that again?_

Yes, it happened. He had been raped. He had also been tortured far beyond his mental limits. But that didn't mean that he had to go through it again. Jack leaned back, away from Tooth, and closed his eyes. _I don't have to be afraid. I don't have to jump at the shadows, _he thought. _I __don't have to think about it at the slightest mention. _It had happened. And there was nothing he could have done then to stop it. Nor anything he could do now. _I am the voice of the past that will always be filled with my sorrows and blood in my fields. _Jack started to realize what the lyrics of Tooth's song meant. No matter how traumatic and scarring the past had been... _I am the voice of the future! Bring your peace, and my wounds, they will heal...He had the choice to decide how it would affect the way he would act and what he would dare, and the way it would lead him. __It had scarred me, and wounded me. And I know I will probably never be the same, _he admitted. _But I can decide to let it hold me back or not. And I choose..._

_To let it go._

A weight that Jack didn't even realize was sitting on his chest was suddenly lifted from him, making him feel light than air, lighter than anything. He could almost feel the tiny snowflakes falling from the ceiling of his mind. He exhaled deeply, then, inexplicably, began to smile. He opened his eyes to see Tooth grinning from ear to ear at him. She lifted up her arms, her fingers still intertwined with his, and showed him her forearms again, just in time to see the last of the cuts disappear. He felt his jaw slacken in surprise, but then it quickly turned into a grin as he wrapped his arms around her; she immediately returned the embrace, her arms feeling exactly the same around him as they had when she was a fairy.

**Tooth suddenly darted away from him, slipping out of his arms, and started to bound and leap through the snow again, almost like a rabbit, her voice calling through the winds.

"_I am the voice in the wind and the pouring rain._  
_I am the voice of your hunger and pain._  
_I am the voice that always is calling you!_  
_I am the voice..._"

Remembering his original plan, he darted after her, abandoning his ice path and just flying through the air after her as she back-flipped and soared with every imaginary beat that only she could hear.

"_I am the voice of the past that will always be,_  
_I am the voice of your hunger and pain._  
_I am the voice of the future!_  
_I am the voice...  
__I am the voice...  
__I am the voice,  
I am the voice...!"_

On the last note, Tooth slid down the slippery slope with her arms open wide, as if embracing everything that she was and everything that she would be. _And that's how she fits in,_ he thought as he slowly edged towards her. _Because she's the voice. _

***And he woke up.

* * *

Yeah, I know, I know, you're probably thinking, "WTF was this? What the hell does this even mean-? What? I don't, oh my god, I'm _sooo _unfollowing this story right now, this is bullshit." And I apologize. But I had to write this. You see, I heard this song and it instantly reminded me of Tooth. Because she's the the voice of the past because she's what helps us remember everything because she's the Guardian of Memories. Am I making any sense? No? Please forgive me, then. And now I await the messages of hate.

So much for a bonus chapter. :(


	18. Thank You

Yeah, after that mess from the last chapter, I thought you guys deserved better.

I own nothing

* * *

_Dang it,_ Jack thought._ Not again._ He hated feeling that heavy feeling in his limbs and the fuzziness in his head, swamped in darkness. He guessed it was from the anesthetic, but it didn't mean that he liked it. Not to mention that he felt unusually stiff in his hips and chest, and most particular, in his rear end. Shivers ran up his back. It was terrifyingly similar to when Pitch had raped him, just it didn't hurt as much. As he thought about it, he waited to feel that tingle of pain from the memory, but it never came.

_Don't think about it, you're just inviting more pain,_ he reminded himself._ Concentrate on waking up._ He took a deep breath, then pried open his eyelids, sticky with sleep. He blinked a couple times, trying to rid himself of the heaviness on his eyes and the blurriness in his vision. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he hoped that he wouldn't have to wear glasses.

He was on his side, looking out at the empty chair besides his bed, where Tooth would usually be. He frowned. She was always sitting in the chair besides him, ready to account to his every need when he woke up. _Maybe she's on the other side_, he thought. Then, instantly cheered up, he rolled on to his other side, ready to grin at her sleeping face or to tease her about switching sides. But she wasn't there, either.

To his surprise, he felt a dull stab of disappointment in his stomach. He had grown so used to seeing Tooth sitting there, waiting for him to wake up, sometimes even falling asleep in her vigil. Her feathers would spill on to his face and he would pretend to be annoyed, but he would actually enjoy the feeling of her soft downy feathers against his face…..Just then, he head the door swing open. He turned his head and squinted, surprised by all the bright colors, but instantly relaxed when he recognized the violent shades of green and blue.

"There you are," he said, grinning as he rolled back on to his back, faintly noticing that he was wearing a new shirt. "I was worried that Slenderman had gotten you," he teased, naming the first dangerous mythical creature that came to mind.

She rolled her eyes as she flew into the room. "Sorry. I was busy. And you'll be glad to know that everything went well during the surgery. And by the way, we got rid of Slenderman ages ago."

He frowned. "Is every single fairytale character real?" he complained.

"No," she admitted. "But you have to admit, who would come up with a story about a man walking around in all black—"

"I thought it was a suit," Jack interjected.

She rolled her eyes again as she sat down in the chair that had just been vacant. He noticed that her hands were behind her back. "Fine, a suit. What parent or even creep would make up an extremely tall man in a suit with tentacles who would walk the woods, stalking kids until he kills them by spearing them on trees, or-or cutting them up into body parts and putting them into bags?" she demanded.

"Whoa, wait, that really did happen?"

"Yeah. We had to put a stop to him as soon as possible. He was a danger to everyone, not just kids." She shuddered. "Killed so many people…..all because some kids turned him in for being a witch after he had just healed the whole village with his potions." She shook her head. "It was a really bad fight. And when we had to put him down, it was almost…..pathetic. I felt so sorry for him. To be betrayed by the people he trusted the most—"

"Wait, I didn't mean to boring up bad memories," Jack interrupted, struggling to sit up straight, seeing the agitated look on her face. He winced at the pressure on his behind, then continued, "I mean, the bad stuff's all gone, right? Pitch is gone, I'm getting better, and everything's finally going back to normal. In fact—" He grinned broadly—"I have a strong urge to play my guitar right now. I haven't been able to play it for weeks!"

She glanced up at him, a mischievous flash in her eyes. "I was actually hoping you would say that. Just—not that exact."

He frowned. "What are you talking about?"

In reply, she bent behind the chair and pulled out…his guitar. His mouth dropped when she held it up proudly to him. "Where—how?" he gasped. "That wasn't even at my house!"

"No," she agreed as she handed it to him. "Sophie lost her first baby tooth last night and my fairies found out that you had given the guitar to Jamie." She raised an eyebrow. "Care to explain?"

He only shrugged as he gently ran his fingers against the cords. "I thought it would be fun for him. When I wasn't there, he could always practice on the guitar, you know, to have fun." Jack remembered how Jamie's face had lit up when he had handed him the vintage guitar, and how he had practically flew across the room, jumping on the bed and yelling and screaming. And he actually wasn't that bad. He hung on every single word that came out of Jack's mouth and followed his instructions almost perfectly.

Then he frowned when he remembered that it had been ages since he had practiced with Jamie. He wasn't even sure how long ago that was. Tooth noticed the change of attitude on his face. "What's wrong?"

"What day is it?" he asked, looking away from his guitar to her face.

"Friday."

"The date?"

She hesitated, then answered, "The nineteenth."

His eyes widened. "I've been in here for two weeks?"

She shuffled uncomfortably in her chair. "Three," she corrected. "You've been in here since the end of November."

He raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"When you would sleep, it would be for days at a time sometimes in the beginning. You would really worry us." She hesitated, then smiled and laid her hand over his. "But those days are gone now, right?"

He smiled back. "Yep. And do you know what I'm gonna do?"

"What?" she replied playfully.

"I am going to play a song," he announced. "In fact, we all are! We're gonna have our Karaoke Night!"

"What? Jack, are you well enough?"

"Of course I am!" he exclaimed, gently placing the guitar on the other side of his bed before throwing his covers off and swinging his feet over the edge.

"Jack," Tooth warned.

"I'm fine!" Feeling a sudden burst of energy, he got to his feet and stood up proudly.

For about three seconds.

A shot of pain in his legs and hips made him collapse, falling forward towards the ground with a surprised yelp. Tooth caught him before he could hit the floor. "Nice try, Frost," she said wryly, gently putting him back in the bed.

He rolled his eyes, not at all daunted by his failed attempt at standing. "Fine. But I still think that we should have a Karaoke Night. I mean, I made you guys cancel the last one and then I missed the one before. Don't you guys want one now?"

"I think we're more concerned about you getting better," Tooth said in her motherly-voice, pressing the back of her hand against his forehead, as if checking for a fever. It was surprisingly cool to the touch. Then again, it was supposed to be like that, wasn't it? She had gotten used to his feverishly hot skin when he had been ill over the past weeks that she had forgotten he was supposed to be the frost nipping at her nose.

"But can we, Tooth, please?" he pleaded. He looked like a little kid, his eyes wide and his lip put out just a little bit, making him look so adorable that Tooth just had to laugh.

"Maybe." He pouted and fell against the pillows. She laughed again and gently brushed the hair that had fell into his eyes out of the way.

He batted away her hand affectionately. "You've been more obsessed with my hair than you have with my teeth," he complained.

She gasped in mock-outrage, holding a hand to her chest. "That's not true!" she cried indignantly.

"Yes, it is," he insisted. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I miss it when you used to dig into my mouth. You never pry open my mouth anymore to see my teeth!" he complained, flailing his arms. She rolled her eyes, then glanced at him mischievously. "Wait, why are you looking at me like that?" he asked suspiciously. Before he knew it, she was on top of him, her wings barely keeping her above his body as her fingers pried apart his lips so that she could see his teeth. He yelped as he felt the intrusive fingers in his mouth.

Suddenly, the door swung open again, and a yell of surprise interrupted them.

"Tooth! What are you doing?" North exclaimed. She darted off of Jack, grinning sheepishly.

"Can someone please tell this woman to stop attacking my teeth?" Jack cried.

"What? You asked me to!"

"Did not!"

"Did, too!"

"Stop with the bickering," North moaned as he collapsed into a chair.

"Yeah. Ever heard of 'stop the violence', mate?" Bunny added as he hopped into the room after him. Sandy waved cheerfully at the others as he followed him into the room and sat in one of the chairs at the table.

"Yes, I have. And I simply choose not to follow it," Jack replied, grinning. "I mean, say a huge bear attacks you. What are you gonna do, say, 'Hi, Mr. Bear! Please don't eat me!' or are you gonna defend yourself?"

"He has a point there," Tooth agreed.

"I thought you were on my side!" Bunny cried in mock-outrage.

"Hey, I have no sides. I stand alone. Like a wolf. With long canines and huge molars for crushing bones!" she squealed.

Jack rolled his eyes and flashed Bunny the 'she's-insane' when she wasn't looking. The Easter Bunny snickered. She turned to glare at him. "What's so funny?" she demanded.

"Hmm? Oh, nothing," he said hastily, but when she turned around, he winked at Jack.

Jack grinned back, then something crossed his mind. "Hey, North," he said, "the Winter Concert's in a few days."

The fun-filled, laughing atmosphere instantly dissolved, to be replaced with a tense, uncomfortable feel in the air. Jack glanced at the other Guardians, who were shifting side to side or avoiding making eye-contact with him. "What?"

"Jack, we were going to tell you," North began, scooting his chair closer to him.

"Tell me what?" he demanded.

"We're not going to the Winter Concert, mate," Bunny said rather bluntly.

"Bunny!" Tooth hissed, looking affronted.

"What?! You guys can't be serious!" Jack looked at the others' faces, as if hoping one of them would laugh and tell him that they were kidding, but nobody said anything. "Why aren't we going to the Winter Concert?"

"Well, mate, you're still hurt. We can't expect you to be up and bouncing around in just two days, mate," Bunny told him, leaning against his bedpost. "Believe it or not, we care about you and we want to keep you safe," he admitted grudgingly, then turned away from him as if embarrassed.

"But you guys go and win every year," Jack felt complied to say. "This'll break you record streak and then—"

"Jack," Tooth interrupted. He stopped. The fairy sat on his right side and looked him in the eye. "It's only a competition," she said seriously, though nowhere near the seriousness of what he had seen last night. "I mean, yeah, it'll end our 2,000 year streak, but it isn't so important that we would risk your health for some stupid prize."

He looked down at his hands, which were folding themselves in his lap. There was a struggle for dominance in the pit of stomach between gratefulness and guilt. Jack was glad that the Guardians had put him in front of their trophy, but he just didn't want to have that on his hands.

"Do not worry, Jack," North soothed, patting him gently on the shoulder. The motion calmed him a bit. "There is always next year."

The ice spirit took a deep breath, then smiled and looked up at North. "Thanks, North. I really…..appreciate it," he said honestly. "But there was one little thing I really wanted to do at the Karaoke Night. And I think I'm well enough to do it now."

"Of course, Jack. Anything," North replied, startled by this sudden change of subject, but went along with it.

He grabbed his guitar, and the mischievous grin was back. "I wanted to play a song for you guys."

* * *

"Why did I agree to this again?" Bunny grumbled as he sat in between Tooth and North in the auditorium. The yetis were milling inside, confused, having thought that the Karaoke Night was canceled. The elves were simply trying to keep themselves from being trampled on.

"Because Jack wanted you to," Tooth reminded him as Sandy helped Jack on to the chair on the stage. "It's only one song."

"I know, but is he well enough?" he hissed.

"What's this I hear? Is Bunnymund actually starting to care for Jack?" North teased.

"What? No, I don't care for him! I mean—I just—shh, he's about start!" Tooth rolled her eyes, but didn't say anything else.

Jack thanked Sandy for his help, then turned to the audience as Sandy took a seat next to Tooth, to everyone's surprise. "You're not playing anything?" she asked incredulously. He shook his head.

"Is the band and him just playing, then?" Bunny asked.

"I think it's because he wants to sing song to all of us," North whispered. "Now, hush!"

The ice spirit looked calmly at the packed audience before him. He brought the microphone stand closer to him, then spoke into it, no hint of the nervousness in his voice like the first night. "Hey, everyone. Sorry I've been gone so long. Did you miss me?" he teased. The yetis roared their answer. He grinned. "Glad to know! Now, this song goes out to the Guardians!" Jack turned to the four in the front row, who were watching him with wide eyes.

"After I…..was captured by Pitch, I thought I was gonna die and nobody would even know, me living alone and nobody knew where," he admitted. "But they started coming to me, checking on me, then giving me their help. Even when I didn't want it," he added wryly. Bunny and North chuckled. He continued, "They've always been there for me, helping me when I was weakest. Several times, they brought me from the brink of death. Doing whatever it took to keep me alive," he said softly. "I remember wishing for a family, last year. Going around, all alone. And I can't believe I still wished that, a couple months ago, when the best one I could ever had, was right in front of me. So," he re-positioned himself, guitar in place, "I hope that the invisible band will know when to jump in because this song….well, it's pretty special."

Jack smiled at his friends as he began to play his guitar, sounding more acoustic than electric. The soft sound gently filled up the room. Tooth leaned forward on to her hands, her eyes watching Jack with an intense stare. Jack felt shivers go up his back. He took a deep breath again, then began to sing

"_I swear to you,_  
_I will always be_  
_There for you._  
_There's nothing I won't do_  
_I promise you,_  
_All my life I will_  
_Live for you._  
_We will make it through_."

"_Forever,_  
_We will be_  
_Together_  
_You and me._  
_Oh, and when I hold you_  
_Nothing can compare._  
_With all of my heart_  
_You know I'll always be_  
_Right there._"

He glanced around the room, unsure whether the Guardians were getting the message. Then he saw North dabbing at his eyes with a handkerchief the size of a towel, and it looked like Sandy and Tooth were becoming moved, too. Okay, so far so good, he thought to himself before starting the next verse.

"_I believe in us._  
_Nothing else could ever_  
_Mean so much._  
_You're the one I trust_."

Jack's eyes flickered to Tooth. Without a doubt, she was the one he trusted the most. It was impossible for her not to. For the past few weeks, she had always been by his side. And she knew, too. She caught his eye and nodded encouragingly. He continued,

"_Our time has come_  
_We're not five people now,_  
_We are one._  
_Yeah, you're second to none._"

He grinned at his fellow Guardians. Tooth giggled slightly. Bunny rolled his eyes, but allowed a small smile on to his face.

"_Forever,_  
_We will be_  
_Together_  
_A family._  
_And the more I get to know you_  
_Nothing can compare._  
_With all of my heart,_  
_You know I'll always be_  
_Right there….._"

To his surprise, the Guardians stood up, one by one, and walked on to the stage, then, astounding him even further, joined him in a group embrace. Tooth, of course, was the first one there, hugging Jack from behind, while the sandman tried to squeeze in between her and North. Bunnymund managed to get him from the other side, getting on his knees and holding Jack tightly around the waist. Then, surprising them all, he began to sing, his Australian accent barely noticeable,

"_Forever_  
_We will be_  
_Together_  
_Just you and me._  
_The more I get to know you,_  
_The more I really care._  
_With all of my heart,_  
_You know I'll always be..._"

The rest of the Guardians joined in, their voices chiming in harmony. Well, except for Sandy; he simply tried to keep himself from crying.

"_And you know I really love you,_  
_Nothin' can compare._  
_For all of my life_  
_You know I'll always be_  
_Right there…..._"

A certain peace was in the room that night. And as MiM looked down at the five Guardians, becoming one with one another, he knew that he had made the right choice.

* * *

I listened to Chris Pine, the guy who plays Jack in the movie(just as gorgeous by the way *.*) singing earlier, and I was disappointed to find that his voice didn't quite match my expectations- which was something closer to Bryan Adams's. But f**k it! In my world, he sounds like Bryan Adams! Not that Chris can't sing, he sings _beautifully. _*.*

I'll Always Be Right There- Bryan Adams

Also, screamindivr145, your cowbell is coming up, don't worry. ;)


	19. You're Welcome

Hey, you guys! I'm sorry if I'm a bit late, my basketball coach's birthday was today and I was hung over on apple cider and cake and tired from our unsuccessful attempts to make a Harlem shake video- you can only imagine how bad we failed. Nonetheless, I have delivered you this (hopefully)satisfying, though rather short chapter on the little time that I was allowed to have.

Also, Alexis, or Lexi, his name is JACK. Not Jake. JACK. And I am allowed to do this, my other readers, because we know each other. :D Isn't that right?

I own nothing.

* * *

"Are you sure about this North?" Jack frowned sleepily at the sound of Tooth's voice. Why was he in his bed, and not outside, talking to the other Guardians?

"I am absolute sure!" The Russian's voice rang past the doors and echoed in Jack's room. He winced and covered his ears with his hands to block out the sound, rolling over on to his side. Yep, he was definitely in his bed. He could feel the ends of the soft covers tickling the top of his hair and the bouncy, cushioning mattress underneath him rolling with his body.

"But mate, he still can't walk—" That was Bunny.

"Yes he can! We just need to try and—No, Sandy, we are not going to make him dance with us!" _Dance? _That was enough for Jack to finally open his eyes.

Jack blinked open his eyes to see soft white cotton. He yawned and yanked down the covers off of his face. It was the day after he had sung to his friends; he could tell from the stiffness of his joints. He had never been that sore unless he had slept over ten hours. He couldn't quite recall what happened after he had his little heart-to-heart moment with his fellow Guardians. He groaned, putting a hand against his forehead as he struggled to think through the fog in his brain. Great snowflakes, what happened yesterday? He had went back to his room, eaten lunch, then….it was all a blank after he finished his tea. _Wait a second_-

_Tea._

He laughed, clasping a hand to his forehead. Of course.

Bunny had poisoned him again.

Just as he was making a mental note to never accept any food or drink from the Easter Bunny, the sound of shouting voices started bellowing through the door, making him jump. Then he realized that it was only the others, and he fell back against the pillows, groaning. "There is absolutely nothing for me to be jumpy about," he said aloud. "Absolutely nothing." Then he heard a particularly loud shout from Tooth. "Though there something that would make me want to figure out what they're talking about." With that, he threw off his covers, and swung his legs over the side of his bed, then hesitated. The memory of him almost falling to the ground was still freshly imprinted in his mind. But then, his desire to know what the Guardians were conversing about without him- not to mention he was still stung about having his tea spiked- was too strong to ignore.

"Screw it," he decided. Jack leaned over and wrapped the bedpost with one hand for support, his other ready to push him up, the covers tightly clenched in his fingers. He took a deep breath, then, with a grunt, he pushed himself on to his feet. For a second or two, he wobbled, then fell back on to the bed, his legs too weak to carry him. Oh, if only he had his staff! Suddenly, he remembered his dream from two nights ago.

_Maybe...?_

No. No, that was a stupid idea. Of course it wasn't under his bed. He would have known. "I'm just gonna have to keep on trying," he sighed. Gritting his teeth, Jack shoved against the bed, almost springing off of the bed. But he tightened his grip on the spiral of the bedpost and managed to keep from flying into the table. His legs groaned and screeched from the weight, but he refused to let them give out. Taking another deep breath, he forced himself to lift his leg up to take a step. The muscles cried out in pain, but he ignored it, and finished the first step.

Heartened by this accomplishment, he took another, then, he didn't stumble, another. Now confident, he let go of the bedpost pole. He swayed for a couple moments, and he let himself wobble until he had regained his balanced again. When he was sure that he wouldn't fall, he made a hesitant step. The bones and ligaments groaned, but didn't give out on him. Another. Less pain. Another. No pain. He took two more, and was suddenly at the door. His face split into a wide grin. _Now, to see what they're talking about, _he thought, as he bent down and pressed his ear against the door.

"Well you're trying to make the bloke join us in—" Bunny's voice argued.

"Bunny! I know what I am doing!" There was North. Jack wondered what was so important to have made North snap at the Easter Bunny like that.

"But Jack—" That was Tooth. He could recognize her voice a mile away.

"Deserves this. Are you saying he doesn't?"

Jack was starting to becoming more and more irritated. He was right there, they could have just asked him his opinion. Suddenly, he felt a sharp stab of pain in his legs. _Uh oh._ He quickly back-pedaled back to his bed before he could collapse, undaunted that he couldn't stay to hear the rest of the conversation. They were practically shouting now, and he could hear every word clearly.

"No, of course not. I'm just saying, maybe we should wait—"

"Jack will be fine. All he is going to do is—

Finally, his annoyance got the better of him. "All I have to do is what?" he called.

It became deathly silent. Suddenly, the doors burst open. Jack winced at the loud noise. Couldn't they just open it like normal people? North was the first one to come in. "Jack! We did not know you were awake!" he exclaimed.

"Yeah. I guess Bunny didn't put enough Nimutahita in my drink yesterday," he said wryly, shaking his sleeves over his hands.

"That was North!" Bunny cried defensively.

"Yeah, but what would have to been so important to have to have knocked me out to discuss?" he said crossly. He wasn't really mad at them; he just felt betrayed that after he sang a song about love and trust to them, the first thing they did was put him to sleep.

"That was my idea," North admitted. "But how else would we play the surprise?"

"Surprise?" he repeated, confused.

"North," Tooth growled in warning, avoiding looking at Jack.

"What surprise?" he asked, looking at each of the faces of the Guardians.

"We were planning on it, but most of us—" she began to explain.

"Tooth and me," Bunny interjected.

"—were thinking that you were too sick for it," she finished.

"Really?"

"Jack, your surgery was less than two days ago," she reminded him.

"No, I'm down," he insisted, throwing his covers off. Before Tooth could stop him, he was up on his feet. He stumbled a few feet, then grinned proudly at everybody. Then he lifted his foot to take another step, but, like the klutz he had never been, somehow managed to trip over his own foot. He clung on to a pole before he could fall to the ground.

"Jack," she groaned, appalled.

"No, I'm fine. I just need my staff, and I'll be fine," he assured her.

North grinned. "Great to know!" The mountain of a man reached underneath the bed and held it out to him. He took it in disbelief. He didn't know what he had been expecting, that it was in his workshop maybe, or kept under guard by yetis. Not _under his freaking bed like in a dream he had._ "It was under my bed?"

"Of course! I thought it was best not to tell you though, in case you, for some strange reason, decided to run off in the middle of the night!"

"Yeah. Strange," he repeated, leaning on to it for support. Jack never realized how much he had missed his staff. It felt cool and smooth and so familiar in his hands. The wood seemed to spark feeling and life into his palms. He pressed his cheek against his staff, sighing happily. He had his staff back.

"Now—" North unexpectedly had him in his arms in less than a second. "To the auditorium!"

Jack suddenly was beginning to wonder if this was a good idea. But, despite his misgivings, North was already charging out of the room and down the hallways. All he could do was try and hold on to his staff and try not to fly out of his arms. Tooth flew besides them, fussing over Jack, checking to make sure that North wasn't reopening his stitched up wounds with his rambunctious jogging.

"Here we are!" North declared as he slid to a stop in what looked like a theater room, with an opera stage and balcony seats and comfortable velvet seats. Somewhere in the back of his mind Jack wondered how many rooms this place had. "Now Jack, you do not have to do anything for now. But I would prefer it if you try and stayed in your seat," he told him as he gently lowered him into one of the front row seats.

"Why would I try and get up?" he asked as he tried to find a comfortable sitting position without hurting his faintly sore behind.

"North!" Tooth hissed, elbowing him a bit.

"What? I am simply warning the boy! Here," he added, shoving a bowl of popcorn into his arms.

"He can't eat that!" Tooth cried, grabbing at her head feathers so hard that Jack thought she would tear them out. He frowned; he had never seen her so agitated before. "His stomach is still unstable and it might give him cavities!"

"Let the boy do what he wants, Tooth!" North shouted. "Besides, you are up first!"

"What?!"

Several of her feathers detached themselves from her tail, sparking Jack's alarm.

"Whoa, guys, I think you need to stop," Jack said in concern, setting the bowl down underneath his chair and getting to his feet in front of her. She cast her eyes downward, avoiding his gaze shyly. "She's stressed out as it is." He gently put a hand on her shoulder, and said softly, "You don't have to if you don't want to."

"No, Jack, it's not that! It's just…."

"It's just what?" he pressed.

She glanced at him, and their eyes met. Jack could see not only her agitation, but her fear and worry that went more than just letting him participate in their 'gift', he realized. She was genuinely scared for him, that he was going to die, even though he was loads better than when he had arrived. He figured that that type of fear didn't go away that easily. And it didn't come to those who thought lightly of him, either. It took all of his willpower to keep himself from simply take her in her arms and smother her against his chest and tell her that everything was gonna be alright. As it was, his arm twitched, longing to hold the soft, warm creature in front of him.

Tooth rolled her eyes, pushing off his hand. He frowned, hurt, but didn't say anything. "Never mind, I'll do it."

"Now that is what I like to hear!" North boomed.

Tooth sighed, and flew on to the stage, her skirt feathers still ruffling in agitation, and he could till hear her muttering angrily to herself about something that had to do with tarring North. Jack tried to keep from laughing. Sandy floated over to the piano on the stage, then cracked his knuckles before looking at Tooth for permission to start. She nodded her head. His fingers began to fly over the keys, playing a slightly familiar melody.

Jack picked up the popcorn bowl and offered it to Bunny, who declined. He shrugged and popped a few into his mouth before shoving the bowl back underneath his seat. Tooth was right about one thing; he didn't want to get any cavities.

Tooth took a deep breath as she steadied herself in front of the microphone. She didn't say anything, no few words or a quick speech, or explaining how it wa for Jack, and he could easily see why. Jack could see her clenching and unclenching her fingers into fists, then clenching them again, almost to the point where it looked like she was about to break them. Jack swore he heard a crack the lat time he did it, because she balled her hands into fist, a flash of annoyance and pain going across her face. The tooth fairy took another breath, then started to sing,

"_Just when you think_  
_Hope is lost,_  
_And giving up_  
_Is all you got,_  
_And blue turns black,_  
_Your confidence is cracked,_  
_There seems no turning back from here._"

"_Sometimes there isn't an obvious explanation._  
_Why the holiest hearts can feel the strongest palpitations..._"

Jack frowned as he listened to the song. Not that there was anything wrong with the song; it was the _voice. _It was deeper, more stronger, not at all like how Tooth had sang before. He tilted his head, trying to figure it out. It was almost like she had modified her voice so that it more closely resembled Alecia Moore than Sarah McLaughlin. Not that he had a problem with it; it was still as beautiful and heartfelt as before.

"_That's when you can build a bridge of light,_  
_That's what turns the wrong so right,_  
_That's when you can't give up the fight._"

"_That's when love turns night time into day,_  
_That's when loneliness goes away,_  
_That's why you gotta be strong tonight,_  
_Only love can build us a bridge of light._"

Finally, the band that Jack _still _couldn't manage to locate kicked in, bringing more sound that bounced off the wall and echoed in Jack's mind. Tooth was visibly relaxing, hovering a foot or two off the ground, her hands no longer balled up to the point when Jack feared they might break, and were loosely wrapped around the microphone stand. She was even starting to smile at the crowd, her brilliant white teeth flashing. He grinned at her. _Atta girl, _he thought. Tooth continued,

"_When your feet are made of stone,_  
_And you're convinced that you're all alone,_  
_Look at the stars instead of the dark._  
_You'll find your heart shines like the sun..._"

Jack felt prickles go up his back as Tooth sang the verse, staring at him. Her eyes were pinning him to his chair, making him shiver. She always seemed to do that. Not to mention that the whole time, she seemed to be singing to _him. _Yeah, he knew that the song was dedicated to him, but right now, it was like she was singing _to _him, instead of for him. Like she was using the song lyrics to voice her own thoughts and feelings about what she wanted to say, but couldn't put into words, using the song itself as an instrument. _Wait, does that make any sense?_

"_Let's not let our anger get us lost._  
_And the need to be right comes with way too high a cost..._"

"_That's when love can build a bridge of light,_  
_That's what turns the wrong alright,_  
_That's when you know it's worth the fight._"

"_That's when love turns night time into day,_  
_That's when loneliness goes away,_  
_That's why you gotta be strong tonight,_  
_'Cause only love can build us a bridge of light..._"

Just as the band burst into sound, the room was suddenly thrown into a wild frenzy of colors that ranged from red to blue and shapes of every kind that danced and thralled across the walls and the floor. They flashed across the bodies of the people in the room, throwing realistic figures on their clothes and skin. Jack couldn't help but laugh when snowflakes danced across his chest, looking as real as the ones he made himself, and poked himself in the arm, trying to touch one.

Suddenly, it was almost silent as all of the lights in the room dimmed, pitching the room into darkness. Jack glanced at the others sitting besides him, not sure whether or not to be freaking out. Without a warning, one beam of light from the ceiling shot down on Tooth, lighting her up in brilliant iridescent green and blue colors. She didn't seem bothered by the sudden light, though, and instead, let go of the microphone and floated a couple feet higher off of the ground. Then she lurched forward and started to glide slowly towards Jack, the shine of light following.

He felt his breath catch in his throat when she came to a stop in front of him, and went partly blind from the light that now engulfed them both, and felt his mind go blank. The fairy held out her two hands, the palms turned up, showing the sharp creases and lines inscribed in the soft palms from the long years of hard-work from teeth-collecting and battling. They made maps and etches that led to places that Jack would never know of deep inside Tooth's soul. They made dances and poses that he would never understand the true meaning of. And yet they were only hands.

Jack stared dumbly at them, unsure what she wanted him to do. Then he felt his cheeks cool slightly when he finally realized what she wanted, and lifted his hands and slipped into hers. The thumbs rested themselves on the back of his palms and her fingers, soft as satin, twined themselves with his as she gently pulled him up to his feet. He winced at the pressure, but didn't let himself collapse.

"_Deep breath._"

She let go of one of his hands, slid her free one up his face. He closed his eyes to the warm hand against his cheek. He never knew that he, an ice spirit, could hunger for so much warmth. Lightly pinching his jawbone between her thumb and forefinger, she tilted his head up so that he could meet her eyes, and offered him a small smile. He could almost feel his heart freeze.

"_Take it on the chin._  
_But don't forget-_"

Tooth slipped her hands away from his face and other hand as she started to fly away backwards rapidly, before throwing open her arms as the band jumped back in and sang out loudly and with more passion that Jack ever thought her capable of doing,

"_To let love back in!_"

"_That's when love can build a bridge of light!_  
_That's what turns the wrong all right!_  
_That's when you can't give up the fight!_"

"_And that's when love turns night time into day!_  
_That's when loneliness goes away!_  
_That's why you gotta be strong tonight..._  
_'Cause only love can build us a bridge of light!_"

"_Only love can build us..._"

She paused for a second to catch her breath, then finished in the voice that Jack had always known, that he had fallen in love with, that same soft, gentle, Sarah McLaughlin voice that he had heard on his first Karaoke Night.

"_A bridge of light..."_

* * *

I think I did okay for a remake. I had this chapter done yesterday, but then I accidently pressed the back button and- oops! Whole story gone. -.- And that version was wayy better than this one. But I hope you enjoyed it!

Bridge of Light- P!nk

P.S. I have no idea why I made Tooth switch from Sarah McLaughlin to Taylor Swift to Amy Grant to P!nk.


	20. Birthday Surprises

I do apologize for being so late, I had a major writer's block, and I've been trying to work through it, and I'm pretty sure you can see the spots where it got to me.

I own nothing.

* * *

"So..." Tooth drawled as she dragged her knight in an L-shape across the board in front of his own knight. Jack and Tooth were playing a game of chess the next day in his room. Jack wasn't quite sure what Bunny and North were up to, but at the moment, he didn't really mind. It was nice, just sitting with Tooth, playing a friendly round of chess. They idly chatted about a few things for a while, then would be silence for a little while longer. But Jack didn't mind that either. He could hear the sound of her breathing, her sighs whenever he managed to block or threaten her other players(her "kingdom", as she called it), frustrated that he was managing to block every single of her advances. He had managed to keep most of her "kingdom" before the middle of the board, and right now, neither of them had made a move to take the other's player, though Jack was longing to make the first move.

_In more ways that one, _he thought as he moved his pawn up a space diagonal from her knight. "Hmm?" he said absentmindedly, taking a bite out the sandwiches that one of the yetis had made for them, most likely Phil. Jack had watched the yeti cook before, and he had to admit that he made the best seafood pasta that he had ever tried, even with calamari, which he had _hated _with a passion. But this time, he had given them something a little bit more easy on his stomach, though he hungered for a spaghetti _fra diavolo_. But for now...He sighed as he took another bite out of his turkey-and-cheese sandwich. They had delivered a whole stack full of them, in case Jack had a sudden attack of the munchies.

"You haven't had your first kiss?" she pressed.

He rolled his eyes again. They had just finished talking about past relationships, or, at least, she had. Jack had admitted that he hadn't even had a first kiss before, and was surprised to learn that Tooth had had previous relationships with other spirits, though she was single now. "Yes, Tooth, I haven't had my first kiss," he said for the tenth time. The question never seemed cease surprising her, for she had asked several times before, and each time she had reacted the same: wide eyes and a gasp of astonishment. Jack took another bite of his sandwich as she repeated the cycle.

"I mean, I just assumed that somebody that, well, somebody that looks like you," she said, then blushed a dark red, and continued hastily, "that somebody that looks like you would have been able to snag a girlfriend at least as a human, and definitely during your early years as a spirit." He shrugged, still chewing.

"Who do you like?" The question caught Jack off-guard, causing him to accidentally swallow his food too fast and it lodged in his throat, cutting off his airway. He clutched at his neck, gasping in alarm. "Jack!" she exclaimed in alarm, getting up from her seat. He started making hacking noises, clawing at his throat, spurting her into action, and spent the next five minutes doing the Heimlich maneuver on him until a piece of half-chewed bread and turkey flew out of his mouth. "Are you okay?" she asked in concern, unwrapping her arms from around his chest and laying a hand on his back, giving him a few final pats.

"I'm fine," he gasped, his fingers stroking the skin at the base of his throat, trying to soothe the burning in his neck, the area still feeling inflamed. "Uh, thanks."

"No problem." She fluttered back to her seat, then made her move on the board, her knight going in an L-shape, away from his attacking pawn. "You never did answer me, though," she said casually, crossing her legs.

Jack froze, his hand hovering over the board. He swallowed hard, then winced at the pain in his throat. "Why do you ask?" he tried to say as casually as hers, but could hear it tremble. Why, after all this time, would she ask that? Why here? Why _now? Then again, why not? _Jack moved his bishop diagonal to the right until it was lined up with the pawns he hadn't moved yet as he tried to think of an answer. "Why do you ask?" he finally said.

She shrugged as her pawn moved uselessly up one space. "Just curious."

"Really? Does that mean I get to ask you the same question?" he dared, flashing a mischievous smile at her.

She rolled her eyes, but grinned. "Touche, Jack. Touche."

"And also-" he reached over and picked up her knight and replacing the spot with his bishop- "you're one knight short, by the way."

"You finally took one of my pieces," she said, sounding more pleased than disheartened.

He frowned. "You wanted me to?"

"Not exactly."

"Not exactly meaning what?" he pressed.

She only shook her head and moved her rook- he hadn't even noticed that she had brought it up- across the board, knocking off his bishop into her open hand, before glancing up at Jack. "You know you're not the only one who plays chess," she teased as she placed it on the side of the board, next to her taken knight.

"I never said that!" he exclaimed.

"Yeah, but you were thinking it."

He rolled his eyes, but made his move. "Believe me, if this was checkers, I wouldn't be holding back at all. You would be _dead_ right now," he boasted.

"Nobody plays checkers anymore," she stated, again moving that useless pawn, not bothered by his claim.

"I do," he protested as he swept one of her pawns into his hand with a knight.

"Yeah. But you're old."

"_I'm_ old? How old are you? Haven't you been here since before Atlantis sank?" he demanded.

"Only by a decade or two," she said carelessly, as she moved her rook into a threatening position to his knight.

He gaped at her, then groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger. "Please tell me you're kidding."

"Nope," she said cheerfully. "And it's your move by the way," she added, nodding to his pieces.

"I know." As he used his pawn to knock Tooth's bishop out of the way, he struggled to wrap his mind around the fact that Tooth had been alive for literally millenniums longer than him. But when he looked at her, when he attempted to see behind all of the feathers and imagine her as a human, she looked only twelve. And her bubbly personality didn't help. Maybe if he had been human, the age difference would have bothered him, but then, they were both immortal, so he had no worries of him dying before her. Besides, it was personality that really did count. Yeah, so she didn't act like she was practically almost ten thousand years old, did he really act like a three hundred-and-eighteen-year-old?

_Three-hundred-and-_nineteen, his brain corrected. Oh yeah, he had almost forgotten.

Today was his birthday.

He mentally sighed as he leaned on to the table and propped his face up with his hand. Truth be told, he hadn't sure when his actual birthday was until after he had became a Guardian, though he had always been pretty sure it was in December, too. But when he had found out that the the date when he had become Jack Frost had been on the winter solstice was the same day as his eighteenth birthday...At first he had been a bit cross and upset, having died on his birthday, but then shook it off and hadn't thought about it until today. He couldn't help but feel a little sentimental; he had never done anything special for most of his birthdays, maybe bring a snowstorm or two to some poor, unfortunate town or city, try at another unsuccessful attempt to get into the North Pole. But he had never anticipated that he would be stuck in there, playing chess while waiting for his wounds from a traumatizing experience to finish healing.

Some birthday.

Tooth noticed Jack's sudden mood change. "Jack, what's wrong?" she asked, laying her hand on top of his, and was pleased to see that he didn't flinch at her touch.

He glanced up at her, then shook his head, his white bangs flipping in and out of his face, as he sat up straight. "Nothing. Nothing's wrong."

She tilted her head to the side. "But then why the long face?" she asked as she leaned over the table and extended one arm, her index and middle finger gently tracing the outline of his face.

"My face isn't long," he protested.

"Yes, it is! I mean, it's longer than a narwhal tusk!" she exclaimed.

"Okay, now you're just making stuff up."

"I am not! I'm being completely serious, you have an extremely long face."

He snorted as he moved his other bishop ten squares diagonal from her king. "At least it's not heart-shaped. And check."

She blinked in surprise, then looked around at her pieces, only to find that he was in a spot that wasn't close to any of them. That left only one option. "Oh, bollocks," she growled as she sacrificed her queen, which Jack swiftly took with the bishop, even though he knew that she was going to take it with her king. And she proved him right, sliding her king and knocking his bishop out of the way, letting it clatter on to the floor when it fell for a second before picking it up and placing it in her jail.

He grinned at her as he laid his long fingers on top of his rook, which was position directly across the board from her king. Before she could change her mind, the rook replaced the king, and he was twiddling the king piece in between two fingers. "I believe I have won this game, Toothiana," he announced as he handed it to her.

Tooth gaped as she took the piece in her hand. "But how did you-?"

He shrugged. "I told you, I'm good."

"No, you said you were good in checkers."

"Well, I'm good in chess, too." He gestured to the board, smirking.

She rolled her eyes as she began to reset the board. "Fine. Let's play again."

Jack frowned. "Why do we have to play again? And where are North and Bunny?" he demanded, pushing his chair back and standing up. "It's been almost an hour. And we know how they are," he added as he started towards the door. "They check on me every ten minutes."

"Um, Jack? You don't want to do that!" she said in alarm as she slipped out of her chair and flew forwards, grabbing his arm and pulling him to a stop.

He narrowed his eyes at her. "And why not?"

"Uh, well, um, you're not well, first of all."

He rolled his eyes. "Is that you're only excuse? Besides, how many times to I have to tell you guys that I'm fine now? No infections, no headaches, no sickness. I mean, I just ate like twelve sandwiches!" he exclaimed.

"Five."

"Whatever!"

"Jack, I know that you seem better, but right now we can't take any chances," she said soothingly, darting around him to place her hands on his shoulders and steer him back to the table. "Besides, I'm sure they'll be here any minute." He rolled his eyes, but didn't object, and let her take him back to their chess game. Her hands were gentle but firm against his back, pushing him almost urgently. _Wait a second..._

He whirled around, startling Tooth, and she accidentally bumped into his chest. "Jack!" she said reproachfully.

"What's going on?"

"What?"

"I said what's going on? I mean, what's the big deal?"

"I don't follow."

"You seem awfully eager to keep me in here," he accused, putting his hands on his hips and glaring at her. "What's going on? And don't say, 'Oh, nothing, Jack!' or 'You're being silly, Jack!'" he said, saying the last sentence in a high-pitched, girly voice in an attempt to mimic Tooth's.

She rolled her eyes. "First off, I don't talk like that. Second of all, _nothing_ is going on! I don't see why you're getting so paranoid," she said, crossing her arms.

He gaped at her. "I am _not _being paranoid!" he cried.

"Then stop being such a child and sit down!" she exclaimed, pointing at the chair.

He glared at her, but stomped over to the table, making sure she could hear every single one of his loud footsteps, ignoring the twinges of pain in his ankles, and fell into his chair loudly and crossed him arms with a loud _huff! _and pouted. _Just like a child. _Tooth sighed as she pressed her hand to her forehead, then flew over to her own chair and sat down. "You done huffing and puffing yet?" she asked.

"Humph!"

"I'll take that as a no," she sighed. _Great, now I've ruined everything! _she thought in frustration. Now Jack was going to be irritated for the rest of the day. That wasn't a problem, really. She had to deal with a grumpy plus slightly possessed Jack just a dozen days ago. But she hated it when he was irritated with _her. _It was like she had disappointed him in some way. "Okay, let's play." Tooth reached for a pawn to start the game.

Without a warning, the door was kicked open by a huge black boot, swinging in a complete one-eighty and slamming into the wall. The two Guardians jumped as North and Bunny jumped into the room, carrying something large and covered with a canvas in his tattooed arms, Sandy trailing behind them. "С Днем Рождения!" North exclaimed in Russian as Bunny swept off the chess board from the table on to the ground and slamming the object in its place, much to Tooth's dismay.

"That is _mahogany!_" she shrieked, pulling at her head feathers, gesturing to the chess pieces scattered on to the ground.

"Settle down, Toothie!" he laughed, clapping her on the shoulder, nearly knocking the fairy out of her seat. "Besides, I think it is worth- Bunny!" he called. The Easter Bunny grinned as he grabbed one end of the canvas, then, with a smooth flick of a wrist, flung it cleanly off of the object underneath. "This!" North exclaimed, jumping back as he splayed both hands at it.

Jack stared, suddenly forgetting how to form words. "It's a cake," was the first thing he said. And indeed it was. But it was certainly not one he had ever seen before. Two layers, almost three feet tall, the color of snow. And on the bottom piece, frosting created a winter landscape across the cake in a silver-frosted frame, trees peeking from the side as if from an angle, a deer with antlers peering out from the whited trees. On the top was another winter landscape, smaller, with elegant birch trees in the frame. Dotting the space around the frames were tiny frosty snowflake, glinting the light.

It was _beautiful._

"And don't forget, mate," Bunny added, pointing with a furry finger. Across the bottom of the frame were words written in an elegant cursive, _Happy Birthday._

Jack gaped at it. "How did you know that it was my birthday?"

"Eh, we took a shot at it. We figured it was either the first of December or today. You're a winter spirit, mate, it wasn't that hard."

"Do you not like it?" North asked worriedly.

"What, are you kidding?" Jack exclaimed, getting to his feet so he could get a closer look. "This is _amazing. _You gotta show me how to make this later."

North laughed again, wrapping his arm around Jack. "Happy birthday, Jack," he said warmly, giving him a quick squeeze. "Oh, and I made you something, too," he added, releasing him and stepping back. He fumbled through his pockets until he pulled out something small and fragile-looking and held it up in triumph. Jack squinted in the light, and saw that it was a winter blue cowbell, probably no bigger than his fist. On it glistened snowflakes, white as his hair, with so much detail put on to it, he could see each individual branch and its branches until they were thinner than his fingernail. "Maybe it is not good as going to Winter Concert," he admitted as he handed it to Jack. "But I hope it is good enough for you."

Jack turned it over in his hands, letting the cool metal scrape against his palms, getting a feel for it. It seemed to light up at his touch, the snowflakes faintly glowing. Then he held it upright, his index finger going through the loop at the top, and gave it a hesitant shake. A sound as loud and powerful as the bells of Notre Dame herself rang through the room, soft yet strong, bouncing off of the walls and filling their eardrums, something that didn't seem remotely possible to be coming from such a tiny instrument. Jack could hear something besides a simple cowbell, though. He heard the ringing of jingle bells, zhong bells, farm bells, even door bells! And they all came together in such a precious harmony, ringing at the exact same note. It was glorious. Jack looked up at North and smiled, his frosty blue eyes filled with warmth. "Thank you."

"It is only my duty," he reminded him gently.

Sandy flew up between him and North, waving his arms excitedly in front of Jack. "Okay, okay, you got my attention, Sandy!" Jack laughed. "What did you get me?"

He held up a finger for him to wait, then reached into his robes and pulled out an artfully decorated ornate box that seemed way too large to have fit in his pockets. Jack set down his cowbell before taking it with both hands, the material surprisingly light. It looked strangely familiar, with the thin golden strands that wove around the top and the bottom to form the walls and the antique-looking design it made. "Wait a second, I've seen this before," Jack realized. "Jamie's mom was looking at something like this back in June on Ebay, something she wanted to get for her birthday." He glanced up at them suspiciously. "You actually _bought _something from Ebay for fifty-two dollars?"

"No of course! And besides, this is the real deal," Tooth said eagerly before the sandman could sign his explanation. "This is the _original _antique Ormolu Ornate Flower Gold Gilt Beveled Glass Jewelry Box."

"Well, that's a mouthful. And I appreciate it, I really do," he said earnestly as he set it beside his cowbell, "but what would I need a jewelry box for?"

"That's where I come in! My turn!" Tooth stood up, apparently over the fact that her precious mahogany chess pieces were scattered all over the floor, and fluttered in front of Jack. In her hands she held a necklace, splayed out as if in a jewelry box. It was extraordinarily plain, especially for Tooth. On a thin woven string of silver was a small crystal pendant, in the shape of a ragged rectangle, about as big as his palm, and thin as his thumb. "You know, it's funny that you brought up Atlantis earlier," she commented as she put it over his head. "This was one of the artifacts that I was able to get from the city a month or so before it sank."

"Really?" He picked it up and held it up to his eyes. "I don't see what's so special about it."

"Yeah, well, don't lose it. It has special properties. Healing, for one. And light. It can heal the deepest wound, show you the light in darkness...and not just physical darkness," she added. She stood up on her toes, her breath ruffling his hair as she tilted her head upwards, their chests almost touching. He shivered at the closeness as she poked at his forehead teasingly. "Up in there, too. And I even heard that the Atlanteans used it for really cool things, too," she said excitedly as she stepped down. Jack was beginning to see her become as bubbly and energetic like she always did when she was around teeth. "They could light up their flying vehicles and sacred artifacts. With this, it, like, _connected _them. They could use it like a phone and could even hear each other's _thoughts._"

"Yeah, well, too bad that they're all gone," he remarked as he held it up with two fingers. "Really could use the whole telekinesis thing." He dropped the pendant, and took a single step, and engulfed Tooth in his arms. She squealed when he squished her against his chest. "But thanks," he murmured.

"Well, it was the best thing I could get, under the circumstances," she said, laughing nervously. She could feel his heart fluttering through his shirt form under her fingertips, beating like a hummingbird. He finally unwrapped his arms from around her, and gave her a smile. "Promise you won't lose it?" she checked.

He held his hand up in a promise. "_Promitto_," he swore, grinning. She grinned, and wrapped her arms around him, and Jack felt her jump with delight when he returned the hug.

"Okay, okay, enough with the cuddling!" Bunny called, leaning on the table, trying to look bored, but Jack could easily see the excitement in his eyes. "Time to give my gift to the frostbite." Tooth rolled her eyes, but released him and flew backwards to give him and Bunny space. "Well, here ya go, mate," he said, holding out a lumpy brown package.

"It better not be clothes," Jack growled when he took it, feeling the shifty fabric under his fingers.

"Not exactly," Bunny said, a mischievous look on his face. He rolled his eyes, but tore it open eagerly, and, after all of the brown wrapping paper had fallen to the ground, Jack held up an old-fashioned winter blue cloak with a small ice-flake design that matched the ones on his sweater sleeve and pockets. It was huge; it rolled past his feet and trailed on to the ground. "Did I ever tell you I could knit, mate?" Bunny asked nonchalantly, examining his fingers.

"It must have slipped my mind, because I don't ever recall you being able to do anything useful."

"Hey! I can still take that back," Bunny warned.

"Too late, mine." He laughed at the rabbit's frustrated face as he folded it back up. "But seriously, thanks Bunny," he added as he slipped it underneath the cowbell on the table. "I really do like it."

"Well, glad you like it mate, because if not, well, then I just wasted a week on my life that could have been spent more productively."

"Come on, what's more productive than getting something for me?" Jack exclaimed, and everybody laughed.

"Okay, now is time for the lighting of the candles!" North called, pulling out a pack of light blue-striped candles. Jack felt a quick twinge of irritation as he and Tooth started sticking in candles into the winter-themed cake. Yeah, he might have been born in winter and he was Jack Frost, but that didn't mean that he liked only winter things! _Hey, at least you're getting something for your birthday,_ he reminded himself as North started to light them up with a silver cigarette lighter. _And a party! I've never had a birthday party. And a cake! Just look at that cake._ Just in a couple moments, the whole cake was ablaze. "Okay, bring them in!" North called.

A bunch of elves and yetis shuffled into Jack's room. "Dim the lights!" Tooth hissed. The lights flicked off, and they were left in the blaze of the candles.

"Okay, everybody, on three!" North bellowed. "One, two, three-!" The room burst into a sound of unorganized singing, jingling, and groaning.

"_Happy birthday to you!_  
_Happy birthday to you!_  
_Happy birthday, dear Jack!_  
_Happy birthday, to you!_"

He thought that that was going to be the end of it, but he was wrong.

"_From good friends and true,_  
_From old friends and new,_  
_May good luck go with you,_  
_And happiness too._"

Jack's gaze went around the room as they repeated the first verse, his eyes landing on each of the joyful carolers. All of their eyes glistened with warmth and delight as they sang._They're doing all of this for me,_ he thought. _For me. _For a second, a feeling of euphoria filled him. _Guess what, Pitch? You were wrong. They _do _care about me. And nothing you will ever say or do will ever change that fact._

He grinned as they finished, then sucked in a big breath before blowing out all of the candles. Everybody cheered and started clapping him on the back, though he darted away when Bunny voiced his plan about giving him three hundred-an-nineteen birthday noogies. "Bunny!" North barked. "Enough wishy-washing! We must now cut the cake!" He pulled out a large butcher knife from practically nowhere. The knife glinted in the light, and , suddenly Jack felt something tug at the edge of his mind. It wasn't the same as with Pitch. Then, he could feel the darkness rolling over his mind and taking him away. But this time it was hesitant, careful, unsure.

"Jack!" Jack jumped at the name of his voice being called. Tooth was next to him, a hand on his shoulder in concern. He realized that he was bending over, his palms pressed flat against the table, his muscles as taut as a wire. "Jack, are you alright?"

"Hmm? Oh, yeah, I'm fine." He leaded back and swept his bangs out of his face. "I'm okay. Why?"

"Your crystal," she whispered, pointing at his pendant. He frowned, then looked down. The crystal pendant was glowing, shining almost. "It's never done that before," she said in disbelief.

"Really?"

"No. It's only supposed to light up when someone's calling you." Her eyes widened as she looked up at Jack. "Do you think-?"

"No. No way. Atlantis was supposed to have sunk ages ago," he protested.

Tooth glanced up at the other Guardians. So far, nobody had noticed Jack's little episode. She turned back to him. "I think you should answer it."

"What?!"

"What was that, Jack?" North said absent-mindedly, more focused on cutting a perfectly shaped triangle piece from the cake than on who it was for.

"Nothing." He lowered his voice and hissed, "Why should I answer it? And what would I say? 'Hello, I'm Jack Frost, and I'm not an Atlantean, and Atlantis sunk over eight thousand years ago, L-O-L?"

She rolled her eyes. "I don't see what's the harm in trying. And I don't know, maybe Atlantis is still alive?" she suggested. "Look, just let them come into your head, or you into theirs, whatever, and see what happens."

Jack bit his lip. As much as he hated to admit it, he was dying to try and see why another Atlantean would be contacting him. He sighed, and pinched the skin between his eyebrows, then shook his head. "No. I don't want to. I don't want to get out of one situation just to get sucked into another," he argued to Tooth's face. "Besides, they probably aren't alone. They'll be fine."

"But Jack-" she began to protest.

"All I want to do is enjoy my birthday, Tooth," he said firmly. "And right now, I would _really _like to enjoy that slice of cake, North!" he called loudly.

"Just one second, Jack!" North replied, still not having made the first cut.

"Oh, for Christ's sake, let _me _do it!" Bunny exclaimed, throwing his paws up in the air and pushing North out of the way, snatching the knife from his hands. "And _yes, _I'm allowed to say Christ," he snarled at Jack. "I have to share Easter with that holy little-"

"I wasn't going to ask," Jack cut in, an amused look on his face.

"Oh. Well, then." He cleared his throat. "I, uh, better start cutting this cake, then."

"Yeah, I think that would be good."

"Uh, yeah." He hastily turned back to the cake, almost looking like he was burning red underneath his fur, and cut into the cake with precise precision, making a perfectly cut, triangle-shape slice of cake. Bunny then slid the slice on to a pate, stuck a silver spoon in it, and handed it to Jack. "Here ya go, Frostbite."

"Thanks, Bunny." Jack leaned on to the table and patiently waited for Bunny to finish cutting and handing out the rest of the cake, which took longer than he had anticipated, seeing that the elves had wanted a slice, too. After what seemed like hours, though, he finally passed a plate to the final elf, and then North held up a large bottle of sparkling apple cider. He shook it mightily, making it fizz inside, then let out a bellow of laughter when the topped popped open and apple cider came spurting out in a golden fountain. The elves eagerly dropped their plates and came rushing forward and stood underneath the fizzing drink with their mouths wide open, letting the drops fall on to their tongues. But when the sparkling apple cider stopped jutting out, they began to climb on to the Russian, struggling to get to the bottle. He finally dropped it when one of them bit his fingers, and they immediately dove for it, fighting to get a sip. Jack laughed as he stood by and just watched North trying to get the situation under control. North eventually gave up, and let them fight over that bottle as he brought out a few more just for the Guardians, making sure to put them _very high, _away from the elves' sticky little fingers(literally).

Jack hadn't been to many parties before, especially birthday parties. He would be a bystander in most, just watching as others played and enjoyed the event, getting his fill from theirs, since no one could see him. But never before had he actually been _part _of one, let alone the center of one. Now, when nobody could see him, _everybody_ wanted to talk to him,_everybody_ wanted to get another slice of cake with him, to get his advice on this and that. At first, he was flustered, unsure what to do, and just mumbled out responses and hoped that they would leave him be. But as the time went on and on- and maybe because of the sparkling apple cider- he started to become more looser, laughing and joking around with everybody, playing with the elves and teasing with the yetis.

Then came the games. North managed to coax him into playing darts with him. The first round, he lost, of course. He had never played darts before, only watched. As he had played, though, he began to learn the dynamics of throwing a dart, how to the hold it, how to position it, and how to throw it. When he had mastered this technique, he challenged North to a second round, which he won, much to North's dismay. He also managed to win the tie-breaker round, earning a kiss on the cheek from Tooth and a scream of outrage and disbelief from North. Then he and Bunny engaged in a fierce game of chess, and the rest of the Guardians split and chose sides. Bunny had the support of North and Sandy, while Jack had only Tooth. But if it affected Jack's playing, it only made him better. He was able to take away the rabbit's bishops, rooks, and knights before he finally lost a piece, which was only a pawn. By the end of the game, Jack had Bunny beat in a major checkmate, the rabbit having only his king left, and Jack having him surrounded by his knights, rooks, and queen.

The ice spirit grinned as he watched Bunny furrow his eyebrows and struggle to find a way out of the trap he had unknowingly fallen into. Finally, he slouched against his chair and flicked over his king in defeat. Tooth squealed and clapped her hands in delight along with the elves and yetis as Jack whooped and cheered while Bunny and North groaned.

The room suddenly grew silent as Sandy, looking as small and harmless but with a presence as threatening as a lion, pushed through the crowd. He pointed at himself, then at Jack, then at the chess board. "Oh, really?" Jack challenged. "Are you sure you're ready to go up against the champ?" Sandy only smiled mischievously at him as he set up his pieces. "Okay, let's play. I bet I'll have you on your back in thirty minutes," he boasted.

Sandy had Jack in a fool's mate in less than five minutes.

Though the loss was a disgrace, and, frankly, just downright embarrassing, Jack handled the blow with good grace, laughing it off and congratulating the sandman. So nobody thought of the loss until much later into the night, when a bucket of silver glitter had fallen on to his head.

After the shameful defeat, Jack somehow found himself being dragged into a game of musical chairs with Tooth and a couple of the elves, and North playing bagpipes to popular pop songs, making Jack want to dance and wince and cover his ears at the same time. He was out by the fourth or third round, but was content to watch Tooth struggle to gain an edge in the game by her size and speed. But soon, she was overpowered by the number of the elves, and went on to the sidelines to join Jack. "Having fun?" she shouted over the sound of North's rambunctious bagpipe playing.

"More fun than I've had in years!" he exclaimed, trying to keep himself from dancing to the beat North was playing. It was true; he had never known a single instant where he had laughed or talked so much. It was exhilarating; he felt as heavy as a feather, as if he could fly just by simply willing it. his sides ached, not from injuries, but from having laughing too much. The taste of sparkling apple cider burned on his tongue, though soothed by the dull weight and strong flavor of the cake. His head felt light, but surprisingly clear, taking in everything and interpreting it as funny or amusing or simply sight-pleasuring.

"That's good to know!" she laughed, crossing her arms and leaning on him. He felt her head feathers tickle the bottom of his chin, her arms soft and malleable against himself. Without realizing it, he rested against her, and felt a flood of relief when she didn't move. "Have you ever had a birthday party before?" she asked.

He shook his head. "I don't think I had one even when I was human. And I guess I never really wanted one before. I mean, I just thought it was just a bunch of people getting together to eat and talk." He shook his head, chuckling. "I had no idea on what I was missing."

"Well, now you know, right? And besides, you can come to North's birthday party," she added. "It's the day after Christmas. He holds it every year as a sort of relief party, for being able to take a break from all of the hassles until New Years," she explained. She nudged him playfully. "You thinking about coming?"

"Depends if I'm still under house arrest."

"Oh, do come, Jack! It's so much fun!" she said earnestly, her eyes sparkling.

He pretended to consider the proposal, though he was actually eager to see what other kinds of parties North could throw. "Hmm...well, maybe I _could _go, just for a little bit-" He gasped as Tooth threw her arms around his chest, effectively cutting off his airway.

"Thankyouthankyouthankyouthan kyouthankyou!" Tooth squealed, literally bouncing the two of them up and down, Jack's feet leaving the ground several times. He struggled to find air as he flopped around like a wet rag in her arms, his feet kicking out wildly as he tried to touch back down.

"Toothie!" North's scolding shout made her finally release Jack, giving him a reprieve. He fell from Tooth's arms and crumpled into a heap dramatically, laying on the ground as if dead. "What have I told you about trying to choke living lights out of guest of honor?" North demanded as he stomped up to them before bending down and lifting up Jack with one hand clenched in the scruff of his shirt with surprising strength and slammed him forcefully back on to his feet. "You know how easy it is for them to pass out," he reminded, wiggling his finger at her. She rolled her eyes, but didn't reply. "Anyway, Jack, how are you enjoying party?" he asked, turning to him.

He grinned. "It's great, North. This is just..." He searched for the right word, then just flopped his arms. "Great!"

North laughed, clapping him on the back. "Thank you, thank you! I do try! Now, Jack, have you tried the chocolate chip cookies?" he asked, wrapping an arm the size of an oak's trunk around Jack's narrow shoulders and steering him back towards the table. Jack waved apologetically at Tooth, who only grinned and waved back. "I got the secret recipe from Willy Wonka himself! He can make you get sweet tooth from almost anything!"

"That's nice, North," Jack said without thinking, his mind still on the smile that Tooth had given him, and that was sweeter than any sweet tooth a cookie could give him.

* * *

The night whirled by faster than Jack had thought possible. In what seemed like four hours almost a whole day passed by. He was shocked to find out that it was less than an hour before midnight of the twenty-second, and refused to believe it until Bunny had literally shoved a clock into his face- or, at least tried to. But the clock didn't lie, and soon everybody had to clear out to get what little sleep they could from the huge amounts of sugar they had consumed. North quickly swept everybody out, even the other Guardians, from Jack's room so that he could have the place back to himself.

He first stacked away all of his gifts, putting away the Atlantean necklace that Tooth had given him into Sandy's jewelry box, not eager to be swept up into the mind of an Altlantean. He then proceeded to strip off his shirt, feeling giddy enough to ensure that none of his wounds would split during the night. He sighed as he sat on his bed, marveling at how quickly North had been able to get his room back to being so tidy. Even the chess board had been packed up and put away. Neither a stain nor spill daunted the floors, though the elaborate cake that North and Phil had made had fallen on to the floor about two hours ago or so, along with a plate full of sugar cookies, which Jack suspected to have been intentional. Then, when Sandy had accidentally fallen asleep on one of the yetis, who had freaked and accidentally upset the bowl of punch that Phil had brought during the chess matches. But despite the messes, the room looked as spotless as always, the moonlight shining through the skylight, hitting no mess on the ground.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Surprised, Jack looked up. He had thought he would have been allowed a six hour reprieve at least, but probably not. _Probably just North wondering how he could make the next party better, _he thought as he stood up and walked over to the door. _Or Bunny wanting his present back. _Chuckling at the thought, he leaned forward to open the door to neither, but to, his surprise, Tooth.

"Hey, Jack," she greeted, looking uncharacteristically serious.

"Hey, Tooth. What's up?" he asked, crossing him arms and leaning against the doorway.

"I actually wanted to talk to you. Is anybody else with you?" she inquired, craning her neck around him to see into his room.

"Um, no. Uh, come in," he said, stepping back to let her in, and closed the door after her when she had walked in. "So..." he said slowly, turning to face her, "what did you want to talk about?"

"About earlier," she said simply.

He chuckled. "You're going to have to be a little bit more specific."

"When I asked you whether you liked anybody."

Jack had almost forgotten about the awkward conversation earlier that had ended with her performing the Heimlich maneuver on him. His cheeks cooled, and he was almost certain he was flushing blue. He cleared his throat, trying to seem nonchalant. "Uh, yeah."

"Well, you never did tell me," she said, her head tilting to the side as she took a step towards him. "Care to tell me now?"

_This is your chance. Tell her! _But Jack couldn't do it. His tongue refused to form the simple words that would take down a series of problems at once: _I love you. _Whenever he tried to make the words come out, something, he didn't know what, would make it curl and twist the opposite way, making him babble nonsense, which he was doing now. "I-I, uh, um, well, you see-"

She took another step closer to him, her eyes watching him thoughtfully, though they had flecks of amusement in them. "You know, it's almost midnight," she said, nodding towards the grandfather clock by the door.

"Uh, yeah, I guess."

Tooth took a final step forward, and now they were practically face-to-face, their chests touching. The soft down of the feathers on her chest tickled against his own. It felt funny and wonderful at the same time. He was sure that she could hear the thrumming of his heartbeat in his chest. "I think there's a superstition in your country that says you will lack affection and love if you don't kiss on the midnight of your birthday," she stated, looking as relaxed and casual as ever.

"I thought that was New Year's Eve," he said stupidly, his brain going haywire as it struggled to process what she was obviously hinting at.

"Does it really matter?" she asked in a soft voice, as she stretched up on her toes so that their eyes were level, and leaned in. The moon seemed to hit them directly, illuminating them in a brilliant light. Jack could barely breath, his mind wiped as blank as a slate, his heart beating so hard it hurt. _Are we really going to-? _She stopped when their faces were less than an inch away from each other, her lips ghosting against his own, the scent of blackberries entering his mouth, making it water. "Happy birthday, Jack," she whispered, and then she closed the distance between them and kissed him.

For the couple seconds, Jack just stood there, his arms frozen by his sides, his body as rigid as a soldier. But then, some deep, primal urge, made him close his eyes and lift up his arms and gently wrap them around her waist, drawing her closer. She responded by deepening the kiss, her arms going around his neck, pulling him against her. Her lips were as soft as two pieces of silk pressed against his own, plush and round, making his head spin.

Without consciously thinking, he lifted one hand up to caress her cheek, tilting her head as he pressed his lips harder against her. He suddenly felt something tickle at his lips. He parted them, and her tongue tentatively reached into his mouth, darting and poking at his lips and tongue, trying to coax him out. He flicked it hesitantly, unsure about what to do.

He felt something vibrate in the back of her throat, then when she pulled away, he realized it was laughter. "You really haven't kissed anyone before?" she giggled, her arms still wrapped around his neck.

He rolled his eyes, though he was grinning too hard to really care. "I know, I know, the only three-hundred-and-nineteen year-old lip virgin, you don't have to rub it in."

"Don't worry," she assured him, cupping his cheek in one hand, "because you're not one anymore." Then she reached up and made him join her in one of those mind-blowing kisses. He barely noticed them stumbling backwards until Tooth had pushed him on to the bed. He hit the bed on his back, and barely had time to register the fact before Tooth was on him, pinning him down. Her fingers were curled around his wrists and her knees dug into his thighs, effectively keeping him down. Then her mouth was on his and he was in blissful heaven. Her lips worked against his, her tongue wiggling artfully around his own. She moved her hands from his wrists and slid them under his head, tangling her fingers in his snow white hair. He moaned into her mouth as she tugged expertly at the curls, sending painfully delicious shivers up his spine.

"Tooth," he groaned when she released him for air.

"Shh," she whispered, then leaned forward so that he could feel her breathing into his ear. "Just feel." Then her lips grazed his jawbone, traveling downwards, pecking kisses on his cheek and chin until she reached his neck. She stopped for a second, and it was so still that he could hear his heart thudding like a drum. Then she reached down, and Jack felt her teeth gently pinch at his skin before full-out biting him. He gasped without meaning to, then arched his back, groaning loudly. His hands flew to her hips, and his fingers dug into her feathered skin, making her moan into his neck.

Tooth lifted her head, her amethyst eyes glinting in the dark, before she bowed her head and kissed him again. He sighed into her open mouth, his hands caressing the curve of her hips, then explored the rest of her body, fascinated by the texture of skin and feathers, skimming her legs and her torso, though making sure to avoid her chest, not wanting to go too fast. He lifted his neck and pressed his lips against hers eagerly again and again, catching the little wisps of air that escaped from their mouths each time. Tooth slipped her hands on to his chest, her fingers spread out, her palms pressed flat against his skin. Her fingers danced across his skin until they came across the huge scabby wound, immediately pulling back, both her fingers and face.

He blinked, confused, until he glanced down and saw her staring at the wound across his chest. He propped himself on to his elbows and asked in concern, "What's wrong?"

She shook her head. "I just can't believe..." she trailed off. "I just can't believe that he _did _this to you," she choked. "That he..." She shook her head again, covering her face with her hands.

"Hey, hey," he said, alarmed, as he sat upright, making Tooth sit into his lap. He took her hands and gently pried them off of her face, putting them in their conjoined lap. "It's okay, it's okay. It's over now," he soothed, drawing his hand across her cheek. "He won't be able to touch me again. And he will _never _be able to touch _any _of us. Okay?" He leaned in and kissed her sweetly. It was gentle and soft, and lasted on for a couple of seconds, replicating the innocent first kiss of a child, with the tentative peck but the love that you could just_feel_. He leaned back and smiled, his hand still stroking her cheek.

The corner of her lips turned up into a smile. "I hope so," she murmured, before leaning forward, and he caught her mouth with his, and they were kissing again. Tooth's hands traveled up and down his chest, her fingers now freely exploring his skin. They traced the hard muscles and the outlines of his rubs, proving that, no matter how much he ate, he would still be skinny. They gently ghosted over his scabs, raising goosebumps on his arms. She sighed, her nostrils flaring, and pulled back.

"Jack," she whispered, resting her head against his cheek. He cupped the back of her head, stroking her silky head feathers. Secretly, he had always wanted to be able to run his fingers through the beautiful blue and green iridescent feathers. And now he was. He could almost fly at the sheer joy of it. He tilted her head up and guided her mouth to his, closing his eyes when their lips met. That sweet taste of peppermint and blackberry was back, flooding his mouth and making his mind go blank again. He barely even noticed that her hands were starting to travel downwards until he felt something tug at his pants.

He frowned, and opened his eyes to see Tooth's fingers working at his fly. His hand flew to her hands without even thinking about it, holding them away from his zipper. She broke away from him, her eyes open, showing the confusion in their luminous depths. "I don't want to have sex with you," he said in a low voice. She blinked, hurt flashing in her eyes, and was about to pull away when Jack captured her cheek and pulled her close, so that they were sharing the same air. "I want to _love _you," he breathed. Then, before she could make any protests, he covered her mouth with his again, and any willpower she had was instantly gone, her hands pressed against his chest.

Jack's mouth moved from her lips to the side of her face, his breath ghosting on to her skin. She trembled as he kissed the line where her feathers and skin met, his tongue flicking out and gently running up and down her skin. Then he traveled down the side of her neck, leaving a trail of kisses down to her shoulder before sucking on the skin there. She let out a ragged moan, her palms pressing harder against his chest. Suddenly, he moved his head up from her skin and held up one of her hands up. He lifted it up to his eyes, as if studying it. He continued to examine her hand, then, without a warning, he leaned forward and pressed his lips against her palm.

She watched with wide eyes as he traced the outline of her hand with his mouth, his breath ghosting across her skin. Her hand was shakier than a leaf in a wind as Jack continued to adorn the space between her fingers with pecks of little kisses. He then proceeded to follow them up with kisses up her arm, on to her shoulder, up the crook of her neck(he spent a while there), before finally reaching her face again. But instead of reached forward and pressing his lips against hers, he only stared at her eyes, the icy blue searching deep into hers.

"I love you," he whispered.

She blinked, surprised. Just like that, he had declared himself. A flood of warmth filled her. Nobody had ever said that to her except her parents, but even then not in the way that Jack meant it. The moon had been sliding across the floor during the entire time, until it was suddenly shining on the two of them. They were lit up like New Years' lights, thrown into the colors of the moon and the sky. He was all silver, his skin glowing so brightly that all of the scars and scabs weren't even visible. His hair shone pure white, like powdered snow. His blue eyes were wide and sincere, filled with honesty and...and...love. _He's beautiful, _she realized. _Both inside and out. _Her lips curled into a smile as she uttered, loud and clear, "I love you, too."

The ice spirit blinked, then grinned as he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her tight to him. She twined her arms around her neck, and they shared a brief look into each others eyes as the moon shone down on them, and they knew, without a doubt, that this was meant to be.

* * *

Tooth quietly closed the door behind her, still feeling as if she was living in a dream. She stumbled down the hallway, trying to figure out which way was up and down, into the parlor room where the rest of the Guardians were waiting. They were silent as they watched her stumble into a chair, her face full of a dreaminess that was beyond their comprehension.

Finally, North cleared his throat, breaking the silence. "So...what took so long?"

She shrugged without saying anything.

"What did you two talk about?" he pressed.

"Things. Lots and lots of things."

"Like...?" She shrugged, then, inexplicably, began to grin.

Bunny abruptly stood up, throwing up his hands. "I'm done, mate. I'm done. I am so done. Look, just leave Jack along for the rest of the night, okay?" She nodded, not looking like that she had heard anyway. Bunny snorted, and exited the room, slamming the door behind him. The loud sound of the door slamming seemed to wake her out of her daze.

She blinked her eyes and frowned. "What's his problem?" she asked, looking at the other Guardians.

Sandy shrugged, and North rolled his eyes. "Who knows? There is always something wrong with Bunny. But he does have point. You should leave Jack alone for the rest of the night," he advised, taking a sip from his glass of sparkling apple cider before setting it back on the nightstand and standing up. He crossed the room over to her and gently patted her on the shoulder. "And I think you should get some rest," he said softly. "It's been a long day."

Tooth nodded. "It's been a long _month_," she murmured, thinking about how long ago the first few weeks of winter seemed. She was just learning what happened to Jack. But now...

"But there is a reason that there is an end to every cycle," he reminded her. "Just as there is an end to December, and the end to this year, so too will this madness."

She nodded. "I know. And the best part is-" the memory of her and Jack, under the moonlight, made her grin- "there'll be new beginnings afterwards."

"I just hope they're for the best," he rumbled gravely.

"I think they will, North," she said, imagining that he was still holding her in his arms, whispering little declarations of love.

"I think they will."


	21. Sunset on the Balcony

Oh no, I'm late again. I apologize, I'm so sorry. It's just that I'm stressed out, and it doesn't help that I have some flamer, the Familiar Fox or whatever, coming and saying how bad my story is and that homosexuality is evil and that I should burn, then when I replied to her, she continued to say some very racist terms and insulted my intelligence. *sigh* I've banned her, but she drained a lot out of me while I was writing this, and it still is, so I won't be posting as often as I was before. :(

Oh, also, this is NOT the end of the story. I plan for more action(not sex-action, but actually fighting-action) to start back up in the next chapter, and then there will be two or three chapters more after that, then this story will FINALLY be done. Whew. Just imagine, two months ago, I started with a simple chapter that my first reviewer liked, but had too much singing. Now look how far we've come! :D

Oh, and please excuse the typo on the last chapter where I put "poop" instead of pop. I will fix that, don't worry!

I own nothing.

* * *

"Toothiana!"

Tooth jumped at the sound of her name being called. She had fallen asleep on the parlor couch after North had brought the news that Jack was gonna be alright, and someone, probably Sandy, had thrown a cover over her. She groaned, her body still slow and groggy with sleep, and rubbed one eye. Out of the corner of her eye, she could spot the sandman sleeping on the sofa across the room from her.

"Toothiana!" It was North who had woken. He was bellowing over her, almost bursting her eardrums.

She winced. "What? What?" she moaned, rolling on to her side. She really did wish that he hadn't woken her up. She had been lost in a fantasy that closely replicated the events last night.

Goosebumps that made her feathers ruffle traveled up and down her arms. He had been so gentle, his hands soft against her skin and feathers, not at all rushing, showing restraint that she had never seen in a guy before, especially a virgin. He had caressed her every curve from the hollows of her eyes to the arcs of her feet, which had made her laugh. Then his own skin had been as soft and smooth as a baby's tooth- it was cool to the touch, the scabs almost nonexistent. It was amazing to believed that they had only touched each other, but felt something that was so much powerful than making love could have. Tooth was glad that Jack had stopped her, even though she still would have done it if given the chance again.

_Jack..._Just the sound of his name in her head made her dizzy.

"Have you seen Jack?" North's voice broke into the hazy fog that was her thoughts.

"What?" she asked, thinking that she must have heard wrong. Why would she have seen Jack? Both her and Sandy had stayed in the parlor room after the Guardians had confronted her about why she had gone to see Jack after the party, and had fallen asleep. And she remembered that Bunny had specifically told her- she definitely remembered that- that she couldn't go up and see Jack until the morning, to let him rest.

"Have you seen Jack?" he repeated.

"What do you mean? No, I haven't seen him. What's going on?" She was becoming alarmed now.

"Jack is missing."

A weight dropped into the bottom of Tooth's stomach. "_What?_"

"I went up to serve breakfast, and he was not in bed," North explained. "I looked around room. Covers are made, but staff is still there. I ask yetis; they have not let anyone into room, and no one has been seen outside.."

Tooth immediately threw the covers off of her and flew up into the air, clutching her head feathers with both hands as she frantically tried to think. _It couldn't be Pitch, someone would have seen him, _she reminded herself, though it didn't help. By now, their racket had woken the sandman. He opened his mouth in a wide yawn, then hopped out of bed with a question mark above his head. "Sandy, do you know anywhere or place that Jack would have gone to?"she demanded.

He shook his head, his eyes wide. Tooth groaned, putting her face in her hands. This was ridiculous! How could he have just disappeared like that?! But there had been no sign of Pitch anywhere, no sign of a struggle. Even his bed had been made. And if no one had taken him, then... "Do you think he left the North Pole?" she asked North.

The big man stroked his white beard, his usually twinkling blue eyes uncharacteristically serious. "I do not know. We know that he was tired of being cooped up, but I didn't think he detested it that much. And besides, would he be strong enough to?" he reminded her.

Just then, Bunny burst through the doors. "I heard the news," he panted, looking hot and flustered. Tooth guessed that he had probably ran all the way here from wherever he had been. "Is it true?" North nodded his head somberly. "I checked every tower and window to see if he had left out that way. No sign of him, mate." To Tooth, he added, "I'm sorry, Tooth."

Tooth cursed, putting a forehead to her head. _How could he just disappear like this?_ she screamed though she knew that he probably had no intention of hurting her feelings, after what transpired between them, she would of thought that Jack would _at least _given her some types of heads-up before leaving the North Pole!

Then something occurred to her. _His staff is still there. _He couldn't leave the Pole without his staff, certainly not in his condition. Which meant... "He's still at the Pole!" she exclaimed, whirling around to face the other Guardians. "He's still here!"

Sandy suddenly started flashing sand signs above his head, showing a round circle that was suddenly sliced in four and drifted apart. "You're right, Sandy. We need to split up," Bunny agreed. "North, you take the East Wing, mate. See if he might be with the elves." North nodded, and immediately jogged out of the room. "Sandy, you and I'll take the South Wing. He might just be fancying for a swim." The sandman nodded, then glided out of the room. The Easter Bunny turned to the tooth fairy and laid a comforting paw on her shoulder. "Tooth, you check the West Wing. And don't worry about Jack," he added.

"But-"

"Ah, no buts." He put a furry finger to her lips. "Frostbite'll be alright, okay? I promise."

"I'm just so scared for him," she whispered when he had removed his finger. For once, she was glad that she had been openly affectionate with Jack. No one would suspect that something had happened between them, that she was just worrying over him constantly as usual.

"Don't worry, mate. If I know Jack, he'll be turnin' up somewhere with that same smile on his face, and he'll say-"

"'Hey, guys. Whatcha been doin'?'," she sighed.

He grinned. "Atta girl." He gave her a single clap on the shoulder before hopping off.

Tooth hovered in the parlor room for a couple more seconds, letting herself worry a bit more, then darted out the door that led to the west side of the North Pole. She flew faster than she had ever before, her wings beating so fast that they weren't just blurs; they were practically nonexistent. The fairy blasted through the hallways, not caring if she smashed into anything or anybody. The yetis yelped and jumped out of the way before they could be flattened by an agitated Tooth. This had happened before, a couple years ago when one of her fairies had gotten lost in the maze of the place and she had been overcome with worry, so they knew exactly where to jump and duck.

She rocketed through the West Wing, diving into every room, looking into every kitchen, workshop, bathroom, you name it. One time, she accidentally burst in on two yetis, um, uh, doing...stuff. They trumpeted in surprise when Tooth charged in on them. "Omigosh, I am so sorry!" She hastily shut the door, then, as she pressed her back against the wood, prayed that she, Guardian of Memories, would erase that memory from her mind forever.

* * *

After what seemed like hours of searching, Tooth finally gave up. Distressed, and upset that she could not find Jack, she slid to the ground, her knees brought up to her chin and her hands in her face. _Don't cry, don't cry, _she told herself, but could still feel the tears building up behind her eyelids. _Maybe North or Bunny have found him by now. Maybe they're scolding him, telling him that he shouldn't have run off. Maybe that's why they're playing the piano right now, in__stead of looking for Jack._

Wait, what?

Tooth lifted her face from her hands, straining her ears. No, she was right, there was a piano playing from down the hall, in the room where Karaoke Night was held. But that didn't make any sense. He was supposed to be in the East Wing, which was on the opposite side of the Pole. How and why had Sandy came over here? And to play a piano? It had to be him; he was the only Guardian that she knew of that played the piano. What was he thinking? He knew that it was their number one priority right now to find Jack. Why would he waste time to play a stupid song?

But as Tooth listened longer, she realized that she could notice a distinct difference between how the Sandman played and this one. After knowing him for centuries, she knew his style. Sandy played his songs with confidence, but also with humility, making sure that he acknowledged that most of his gift came from the instrument he so happened to wield. But this person was bold, cocky, but playing not as if it and the piano weren't two separate pieces, but together. As one.

Cautiously, Tooth got to her feet, then back into the air. It was coming down a hallway with velvet walls and a gold rail on each side. Her fingers anxiously traced the top of the rail as she glided down the hall towards the sound of the piano. It was becoming louder as she drew nearer, the sound becoming more full and deep. The song itself seemed familiar...not too old as in a hundred years ago, but probably a decade or so.

When she reached the edge of the hall, she peeked over the edge of the wall into the auditorium. The chairs where the yetis and the elves would sit to listen to the Guardians were unoccupied, and no band was hiding behind the curtains as to not distract the audience. The room was entirely empty- except for one. Her eyes locked on his the minute they skimmed past the abandoned piano and landed on the lone figure.

When she said his name aloud, she could feel the pit of worry that had been building up vanish. "_Jack._"

He blinked, as if he had just noticed that she was there, then slowly, a grin crept on to his face. He turned away from the piano and opened his arms up wide. "Tooth."

Oh, how he said her name. One syllable, less than five seconds worth of his breath, but it was like having euphoria shot into her ears. In just her name, he put all of the love and caring tenderness that he had kept to himself, until last night. And it came flooding back to her in a rush of memories. It was all it all it took to send her flying into his arms. "Oof!" he gasped when she rushed into him with surprising force, but his arms were instantly around her, holding her tight to him. He smelled like freshly crushed pine and newly laid snow. Just like how he was supposed to. Like he was always supposed to.

They pulled back simultaneously, and as he laid his left hand on top of the keys, she saw him hesitate. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"Nothing," he said quickly. Tooth felt her heart stop. _Is he regretting what we did last night? Is he having second thoughts? Oh, please, Moon, no! _"It's just, I feel really guilty about leaving and not tell you," he confessed. Tooth sagged in relief. "But I felt like I...like I had to get out. That I couldn't just stay in that room, and just lay there." He shook his head. "Does...does that make any sense?"

"Of course, Jack. It makes perfect sense." She laid her hand on top of his and smiled.

He grinned back, then turned back to the piano and put both hands on to the keyboard. "So..." he drawled, "wanta do a duet with me?"

She blinked, caught off guard. "What?"

"A duet," he repeated.

She glanced at the piano. Jack could see the faintest shadow of doubt in her eyes. "You know how to play the piano?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, I do, actually. For a decade or two. There was this family I used to hang around before Jamie, and they had a grand piano in their parlor room. Patrick was learning the piano and-" he shrugged. "-I learned, too."

"Really?"

"Yep. Took only about, four, five years." He grinned again, then glanced at her. "Do you still want to do it?"

"Um, sure, I guess. What song?"

"Oh, I'm sure you'll know," he promised, casting a mischievous look at her. He started to play, a soft, slow tune. It wasn't ridiculously slow, but it was clearly a ballad. An eighties ballad. _Of course. _He was ridiculously old-fashioned with his tastes in almost everything. Jack played for a couple more seconds, imagining the band are behind him, his eyes concentrated on the keys, determined not to mess up, then cleared his throat and looked up at Tooth as he began in a low, clear voice.

"_If you say my eyes are beautiful,_  
_It's because they're looking at you._  
_And if you could only see yourself-_  
_You'd__ feel the same way too."_

He nudged her with his shoulder teasingly, and she giggled. He continued,_  
_

"_You could say that I am a dreamer_  
_Who's had a dream come true._

Jack took a deep breath, then turned to her and looked her dead into her eyes. _Wait, mistake. Big mistake. _He couldn't concentrate. How was he playing without messing up? Her crinkled irises were trained on him, wide as the moon, locking him like a deer in headlights, and felt just as confused and slow as one. But just as mesmerized and enchanted. He just remembered the next two lines in time.

"_If you say my eyes are beautiful_  
_It's because they're looking at you..._"_  
_

He turned away from her, back to the piano, and waited for Tooth to join in. He didn't have to wait long. He stifled a smile when she started to sing in that perfect, angelic voice of hers.

"_If you wonder why I'm smiling._  
_It's because I'm happy with you..._  
_And the warm sensations touch my heart_  
_And fill me through and through."_

She laid both hands on her heart as she sang, as if to demonstrate, then scooted close to him and wrapped her arms around his waist tightly and laid her head on his shoulder as she sang on,

"_I could hold you close forever_  
_And never let you go._  
_If you say my eyes are beautiful,_  
_It's because I just love you so..._"

Jack cleared his throat again when she removed herself from him, then went on,

"_Now_,_ my heart is an open door-_"

"_Won't you come inside for more?" _

He glanced at her, his grin back, before they continued together,

"_You give love so sweetly, now,_  
_Take my love,_  
_Take me completely now!_"

Tooth felt something soft and wet land on her feathered shoulder somewhere around the second line. The fairy looked down and saw a little snowflake on her shoulder just before it melted. She glanced up and saw hundreds of little snowflakes from the ceiling. She turned to Jack, who was smiling sheepishly to himself. She felt her heart swell, and heard her singing loudly, without even thing about it, without breaking contact with Jack,

"_If you say my eyes are beautiful,_  
_It's because they're looking at you..._  
_And my eyes are just the windows _  
_For my feelings to come through!_"

Jack suddenly jerked up and stared straight into her eyes. Tooth felt chills run down her back when she looked into the icy, cold blue. But not because she was cold; oh, no. It was because they held more warmth and light that she never thought capable of him, or any person, to hold.

"_And by far you are more beautiful_  
_Than anything I ever knew!  
If you say my eyes are beautiful-_"

"_If you say my eyes are beautiful!_"

Tooth couldn't help herself as she joined in with him.

"_If you say my eyes- my eyes are beautiful!_"

"_It's because_," Jack continued, his fingers dancing across the keys.

"_It's because_," Tooth whispered.

"_They're looking..._" He stopped playing and turned his whole body towards her as they finished the last line together. Their eyes never wavered from each other, nor did Tooth want to. His eyes were, truly, the most beautiful that she had ever seen. No one could ever compete.

"_At you..._"

As they trailed off on the last line, Jack felt his arm raise up, and felt the soft skin between his fingers as he gently caressed her cheek. It was warm and soft, like a sun-kissed flower. A beautiful, amethyst gem-centered flower, with iridescent turquoise petals that shone blue and green in the sunlight. Unconsciously, he leaned towards the fairy, his hand around the back of her neck. Already she was less than two feet away from him. He closed his eyes, eagerly anticipating the tender, smooth lips on his own, ready to taste their sweet nectar. He had longed for her for what seemed like years, no, _centuries. _And he deserved it. For once, he actually deserved something good.

And they were on Jack's lip, as gentle and limp as a flower petal. They were soft and firm, though the touch tentative and hesitant. One of his hands circled the back of her neck gently, guiding her mouth to his. With his other hand he cupped her face, running his thumb gently across her cheekbones. He felt her arms wrap around her neck, her own fingers running through his hair. They snared on the locks and tugged on it, and it felt _wonderful_. He moaned into her mouth, and she eagerly drank up the sound, pressing her chest into his own, squashing the space in between them. He could feel her thrumming heart through his clothes and knew that they matched even inside of each other.

He pulled away only for a second for a quick refill of breath, then kissed her again, more boldly. His fingers unlatched themselves from her face and explored her body with wonder, trying to commit every single crease in the lines of her skin, every feather to memory. One of her arms re-positioned themselves around his throat, the crook of her arm nestling the back of his neck, her fingers playing in his bangs and tickling around his ears. "Please," she whispered when he pulled away again, her eyes wide, her lips swollen from kissing. "Jack-"

"Don't," he murmured, pressing his lips against her forehead, then her nose. Her eyelids closed, the long eyelashes flicking against Jack's skin as he tilted his head up and ran his lips just above her eyes. He heard her breath catch in the back of her throat as they butterflied across her eyelids, his tongue flicking out and running across the fragile skin before he pressed his lips back to hers. His arms constricted themselves around her waist, pulling her as close as possible to him. Now she was practically on his lap, one of her short legs thrown across his back, pressing her heel against him to press him even tighter against her. He could feel her struggling to keep her wings from taking off, wiggling on his legs as her wings fluttered once in a while. Her fingers wound themselves tightly in his hair and shirt as she struggled to hold on to him. It was becoming too much for him. He pulled back again, panting.

"Jack," she gasped, her fingers clutching at his face, to make sure that this was real, that he was real. Her violet eyes searched his almost desperately, looking deep into his soul. Jack searched hers, and could almost see the lusty desire in her own eyes. He felt a flicker of doubt.

"Tooth, I think-"

"No, Jack." She laid a finger on his thin white lips, silencing him. "Don't speak," she whispered, then, pressing the palms of her hands on his thighs, pushed herself up and kissed him with so much passion it made his head spin. Propping himself up with his hands against the the bench behind, he leaned into her, though he knew that that wasn't the best idea.

"Tooth- Tooth, wait," he gasped between kisses. "Tooth- let me- we have to-"

"No," she growled, her lips munching hungrily on the crook of his neck, making his head roll and a ragged moan tore itself from his throat. _Don't get distracted! _a voice shouted at him, snapping him out of his reverie.

"But-But someone might see us," he protested, trying to scoot away from her. But her hands pinned him firmly where he was. He swallowed hard, and started to talk rapidly. "Tooth, everyone's looking for me, and they don't even know about us-"

"Jack?"

"Yes?"

"Shut up."

And her mouth was against his again, wiping his mind blank like a clean slate. Her fingertips danced across his pale cheeks, the cool skin sending shivers up her spine. The feeling of her shivering on top of him was undeniably wonderful. Even though he knew he shouldn't have, Jack returned her touches, his hands gliding over her shoulders, murmuring against her lips as he teased her by gently tugging on the feathers, not quite pulling them out but slightly worrying them. She moaned into his mouth, pulling tighter against him.

Suddenly, there was a huge crash. Jack's mind was suddenly returned to him, and he yanked himself away from her, panting. Tooth must have come to her senses, too, because she flew away from him hovering above the ground, and whirled around just in time as North charged into the theater room. "Jack, m'boy!" he cried, spreading his arms wide as he ran towards him. Jack winced as he wrapped him in a bone-crushing hug before slamming him back feet-first on the ground. "We have been looking _everywhere _for you!" he exclaimed. "Where have you been? And Tooth! Why did you not call us when you found him?" he demanded when he saw her by the piano. Tooth and Jack exchanged a guilty glance. She opened to mouth to speak, but Jack hurriedly cut her off.

"I was just playing on the piano when Tooth found me," he said hastily, shooting a keep-it-cool glance at Tooth. "And she was just explaining to me why I shouldn't have run off this morning. I am _soo _sorry, Tooth," he added to her.

Tooth immediately understood what he was doing. "You better not scare us again, Jack," she scolded, poking him in the shoulder. "Almost gave us a heart-attack!"

"I know, I know, and I'm sorry," he apologized. "But were you guys really looking everywhere for me?"

"Yes, Jack! We were frighten for you!" North exclaimed. "We thought maybe Pitch had come and-" He froze, worried that the mention of the boogeyman's name would send Jack spiraling back into his nightmares.

But he only raised an eyebrow at him. "That Pitch what? Got me again? Please," he scoffed, leaning against the piano. "Did you see Phil and Bob at my door? I doubt he could get past them."

North breathed a sigh of relief. "Well, as it may be, Jack, we still need to get you back into the infirmary. You are still ill."

"Aw, come on, North! I've been stuck in that room for ages," he complained. "Can't I walk around a bit, get some fresh air or something?"

"Jack, don't be difficult," Tooth warned.

"I'm not being difficult!" he exclaimed. "Just let me walk around for, like, an _hour_, no, _half _an hour, then I'll go back to my room. I promise."

North pinched the bridge of his nose between his forefinger and thumb and closed his eyes. Then he opened his eyes. "Fine. But _one hour_. If any later, than you stay in room in Fourth of July. Kapeesh?"

"Got it! Thanks, North!"

"Oh, and you will need this." The big man tossed Jack something from out of nowhere. Jack caught it in both hands, and knew without looking that it was his staff. The wood felt like the handshake of an old friend, melting and curling to his touch, the familiarity something he had missed. He pressed the staff to his cheeks, grinning, as he rubbed it on his face. "Oh, staff. How I have missed you!"

Tooth rolled her eyes. Jack caught the look. "What's wrong, Tooth? Jealous?" he teased, a gleam in his blue eyes. She gritted her teeth, but didn't reply.

* * *

Jack spent his hour wandering the halls of the West Wing with no true destination. He was simply enjoying the feeling of being able to walk without the worry of falling unconscious or the fear of worsening the injuries in his legs. For once in what felt like years, no, _centuries_, he felt _fine. _He didn't have to lean on anybody for support, he could easily leap from one side of a great hall to the other, landing as light-footedly as he had always been. It was as if what had happened a couple weeks ago had never occurred.

He wandered from hall to hall, peeking in on rooms and chambers, though cautiously. Tooth had told him about her incident when she accidently barged in on a pair of yetis doing something _very _intimate, and he planned not to make the same mistake. But there wasn't many places that deemed worthy of Jack's interest, and at first found himself very bored. Then he happened to stumble on to a secret workshop that focused on trying to make nonfatal bombs for children to play with. Jack became even more interested when he realized that North knew nothing about this. At first, the yetis were alarmed, and tried to shove him out.

"Hey, hey!" he protested as one of the bigger ones picked him up by the armpits and attempted to carry him out of the secret room. "Put me down!"

The yeti trumpeted his apologies, but didn't put him down and headed towards the door. Jack, thinking quickly, went boneless. The yeti stopped in surprise, and as soon as Jack felt him loosen his grip, he slipped out of his huge hands and darted on to the rafters above them, perched like a cat ready to pounce. He laughed at the yetis' surprised faces.

"Don't worry, you guys! I'm not gonna tell." Then Jack grinned mischievously face as he laid down on the rafter, one leg propped in a 45 degree angle on the wood while the other dangled, a hand propping his face up. "As long as you let me join you guys." They all glanced at each other, then, by some weird yeti-telepathy-thingy, they decided to let him stay.

So for about twenty minutes, he focused on trying to help them reach their goal and attempted to make a nonlethal bomb. Problem was, Jack had a nasty habit of freezing things, even on accident. He had been fitting the wires into their proper place, tying them neatly with thin wire, then was reaching over the side of the bench he was sitting on to the toolbox on its other side. His fingers slightly brushed against one of the fuses that led to a small hand-set bomb that a yeti named George was working on. Just as George was setting its timer, Jack accidentally froze the wire. The ice rapidly crept up the string, to his alarm, and froze the bomb. George was picking at it in confusion with one of the screwdrivers, and while he was jabbing through the ice to pry it off, he mistakenly pressed the button that started the countdown.

Five minutes later, there was a loud _bang! _and the room was covered in bits and pieces of metal and soot.

All the yetis, now all a sooty black, turned to glare accusingly at the ice spirit, who had been the only one able to dodge the blast and being covered in soot.  
"Uh, oops?"

Jack was pretty sure that they had found a new hidden room after that. But he wouldn't know, because George had proceeded to immediately grab him and launch him out of the room as gently as he could manage. Gentle as it was, he still flew through several rooms and hallways. When his feet finally touched the ground, he was sliding on cold marble floor. He waved his arms wildly for a couple seconds, trying to regain his balance. His feet skidded on the smooth tiles until he finally came to the carpet, managing to slide to a perfect stop on the wool carpet.

He sighed in relief as he wiggled his toes into the soft carpet, glad for a stable surface. Then a glint of light caught in the corner of his eye made him glance up. Just several meters away from him was a huge sliding door to a balcony that jutted out into the deep canyon that they were in. Glints of red and orange sunlight were flitting through the stained glass, which was probably where the light came from. Jack tilted his head to the side, his eyes regarding the balcony, his curiosity flitting up. He stood up straight and approached the door. He pulled open the door, and was welcomed with a blast of air.

Eyes watering, he struggled past the cold wind that fought to keep him back inside, somberly remembering the days when he would let it do so, and finally managed to pull himself out into the balcony with the help of his staff, and slid the door closed. The wind still beat against him, but not as hard as before. Jack sighed as he felt the welcoming swirl of the wind curling around him, snowflakes dancing in the currents. It had been so long since he had been outside, to feel the cold air on his skin, to have the nice, gentle ray of sun on his face. He had never liked the sun, but now he appreciated its worth in contrast to his coldness.

Jack walked forwards, looking up and around with obvious admiration, and leaned forwards on to the railing, getting an eyeful of the majestic surroundings around him, noting that the blizzard that he had brought when he had first arrived(actually, it was more like his presence had triggered the already-building snowstorm)had finally ended. The balcony was over-looking the deep canyon, which seemed to be bottomless. Snow covered the rocky edges on the other side of the ravine, which glinted spectacular colors in the sunlight. The setting sun was peeking shyly over the tundra, red and gold rays stretching beyond its limits, tinting the snow and hitting the toy factory, purple and pink streaking the baby blue sky. Puffs of white dotted the sky above him, a few by the horizon, stained brilliant shades of purple. It was truly a spectacular sight to hold.

The balcony itself was beautiful. On the floor which Jack stepped on was a painting of a cozy log cabin, with lamplight flickering in the windows and smoke clouding up above the red-bricked chimney, surrounding by leafless, snow-covered trees. Jack wondered how North or the yetis had manged to make the whole think to come out so even. And then behind him, on the huge wall where he had come from, had a mural with happy little children running around the inside of a snug-looking house, rushing eagerly down the stairs, reaching excitedly for the brightly decorated boxes underneath the adorned Douglas Fir, clapping their hands in delight as they held up toys in front of the roaring fireplace, as a man and a woman sat on the sofa, watching in amusement and adoration at the light and wonder in their children's eyes.

Without realizing it, the corners of his lips were turning up into a smile, warmth flooding him as he remembered his own Christmases. They might not have been as spectacular as the mural on the wall, with fancy toys or a nice house, but they had always been one of the most happiest days of the year. There had been so much laughter, so much joy, so much love...He remembered his parents looking at him in that same way, the creases in their faces becoming more pronounced as they grinned and laughed. Emma's ring of laughter tinkled in his ear. No twinges of pain or wishful thinking interrupted his memories; there was simply no point in letting the past get in the way of the present. They had happened, and all they should do was help him benefit from it. Tooth had taught him that.

Jack turned back to the sunset over the icy landscape across from him, the half-smile still on his face, as he gazed across the gorge. For the first time, he noticed himself. _Truly_ noticed himself. He wasn't as tense as a spring, ready to flee at a moment's notice. He could barely feel the aches and pains of his wounds, just the wind tossing his white hair into disarray. His body was relaxed, loose. No shaking or trembling or weak knees. No flashbacks since Manny knew how long. He sucked in a deep breath of the cool, crisp, clean mountain air. _And now the mental stage of healing is done, _he thought.

The whole time he was making an assessment of his actions, he didn't notice Tooth, who had spotted him from inside when wandering the toy workshop, probably looking for him, though would deny it when he asked her later, open the door and quietly fly towards him. Suddenly, he heard a soft voice say from besides him, "It's beautiful, isn't it?"

He smiled wider, not having to look to know who it was, recognizing the voice instantly. "Yeah, it is." He turned to Tooth, the smile still in place, and leaned over and kissed her gently on the lips before pulling away. It was the same one as last night, as quick and innocent as a child's, but beneath it, there was the surety of what was between them, there there was indeed a love between them, one that stretched through time, more stronger and surer than any metal or force.

Tooth sighed contentedly as he pulled away, and laid her head on his shoulder, her feather rubbing against the side of his head, mixing in with his white hair. "Can you imagine anything else so perfect?" she asked.

"I don't know, I can think of a couple things," he replied.

She frowned, lifting her head up. "Like what?"

"Well, a cloud shaped as a tooth, for one." That earned him a thwack on the shoulder. He dodged it, laughing, and continued, "Um, a couple of shooting stars, a blizzard behind us-"

"Of course _you_ would, Jack Frost," she said, rolling her eyes.

"-and maybe our version of the mural," he finished, then flushed a dark blue. He didn't know what made him say that. They had only been together for-what? Less than a day? And already talking about having kids? _What was I thinking?! _he thought. But it was too late now. There was an awkward silence between them; Jack looked away awkwardly as Tooth stared down at her fingers.

Finally, Tooth spoke. "Jack...," she began hesitantly. Jack squeezed his eyes shut, ready for the reprimand. "...I think that would be wonderful."

His eyes flew open. He whipped his head around to face her. "You would?" he said incredulously, his eyes wide with disbelief.

She nodded her head, and Jack turned back to the ravine, then, inexplicably, began to grin. "But Jack-"

"Yes?"

"I-I don't think I can," she admitted. "I mean, when I changed I was only twelve, and I only had my cycle once, and then I changed and I haven't had it since and-"

He silenced her with a kiss. Immediately, she melted against him, going limp on him. Jack grunted in surprise, and caught her before she could fall, his arm wrapping around her waist, pulling her against his chest. When he was sure she wouldn't fall, he pulled away, and cupped her chin and tilted her head up so that he could stare directly into her eyes. "It doesn't matter. We'll try. That's what counts." Tooth smiled uncertainly, but nodded. He grinned and reached over and kissed her on top of her forehead, then wrapped both arms around her, and tucked her head under her chin. The fairy lifted her own arms and twined them around his back, and leaned into him, breathing in his icy scent.

They were silent for a while, then Tooth asked, "Does this mean you're ready for sex?"

He rolled his eyes. "I thought it was the guy who was supposing to be constantly asking for it."

"Well, you won't, so someone has to."

Jack groaned. "You are, by far, the most weirdest and most ridiculous person I have ever met."

"And that is why you love me," she declared, snuggling her head into his neck.

He rolled his eyes again, but laughed and hugged her tighter. "And that is why I love you."

* * *

I like to think that Jack loves Tooth because she likes to be who she is. Which I guess is the same thing, when you think about it. :P

Also, has anyone noticed that Jack is REALLY slender? I mean, he is just really thin and lanky. I would say the same thing about Shaggy from scooby-doo, but he has some pretty broad shoulders. I think **_I _**have bigger shoulders that Jack. He has little-to-no muscles(I can't really tell that because they show absolutely NO skin in the movie besides hands, feet and neck upwards)and has small hips and small shoulders and is just REALLY small. But his smallness is what makes him so wonderful. O.O

And I just recalled something. I was looking up pictures of Tooth as a human(nobody wanted to send me pictures:( )and I found out that she would of looked A LOT like Esmeralda from _The Hunchback of Notre_ _Dame_if she had grown up. Just with differently shaped and colored eyes. Hmm...I _must _use this to my advantage!

_If you say my eyes are beautiful- _Whitney Houston and Jermaine Jackson


	22. Christmas Trappings

Ach! I'm suffering from a severe case of writer's block, that's why I'm so late. Also, I apologize for the paragraph about cats that you'll see; I just so happened to be near my two kittens having one of their sister-sister times, the older one grooming the younger as if she really was her little sister. And I just had to throw that in.

Oh, and I just finished reading The Hunchback of Notre Dame, the original version. Dear Lord, the movie didn't follow it at all. O.O I mean, Phoebus is a jerk, Quasimodo is submissive wuss, and Esmeralda is hung at the most ridiculous moment ever! The only person that Disney had in character was Frollo- who was still a perverted, creepy, sex-addicted, obsessive jackass(pardon my Western language :3) and died from falling off of the tower. Well, actually, Quasimodo pushed him. But still! And then the whole part where Quasimodo was "interred with her bones", I mean, what the heck was that?!

You're probably thinking, "Why is she talking about the Hunchback of Notre Dame? This is Rise of the Guardians!" But don't worry, you'll see by the end of the story. You'll see...

Anyway, happy reading! :D

* * *

"And that's how you make a Winter Easter Egg!" Jack declared, holding up his masterpiece in one hand. It was beautifully decorated, with snowflakes and blue and gray stripes going horizontally around the white egg.

Tooth cheered enthusiastically while North and Sandy applauded. All five of the Guardians were in North's office, all surrounding Jack around his table as he tried to make an Easter Egg that would qualify for Bunny's next Easter. "Bunny?" Jack asked, holding the egg out to him. "What do you think?"

"Alright, alright, it's pretty good," he admitted grudgingly.

"Does this mean that you'll put it with the others?"

"I'll think it about."

"Close enough!" Jack exclaimed, and everybody laughed. It was a wonder how the atmosphere in the North Pole had changed from tense and sorrowful and hurt, to a laughing, carefree home in a few short weeks. Then again, if you looked at the person it centered, the same could be said. When Jack had first came in, he had been a mess. Infected wounds, bruises almost everywhere, and lumps on the crown of his head, not to mention mentally scarred and traumatized from being brutally raped and the constant flow of nightmare. But if you looked at him now, you wouldn't know that they were same boy. Almost all of Jack's bruises had faded away, the blood injuries now scars, and a light that hadn't been seen for weeks in his eyes, a spring in his step, and laughter in his voice. And now, with his old clothes thrown back on him, he looked just as he did before.

It amazed Tooth to see how quickly he had recovered when she watched him. He looked up at Bunny again, a mischievous grin on his face, and asked, "So, Cottontail? How are you and Clarissa doing? Does she still have that tattoo?"

Bunny rolled his eyes. "For the last time mate, it's _Cassandra. _Get that through your thick skull, would ya? And we're actually doing pretty well, thank you very much."

"Uh huh? And how do you guys communicate, by phone or by your antennas?" He gestured to the rabbit's ears, who quickly pulled them flat on each side of his head in an attempt to hide them. North and Jamie erupted into laughter and Tooth couldn't help but giggle, too.

Tooth marveled how he was almost exactly as he had been before Pitch got a hold of him. There was still, of course, the occasional nightmare that managed to sneak into his mind, conjured of his own fear, but Tooth had always been there. She would wrap her arms around his thin body and whisper soothing words to him and maybe even sneak kisses on to his lips that were met with eagerness.

The fairy felt herself shiver, and ruffled up her feathers as cold chills ran up and down her back when she remembered their tryst almost a week ago. For someone who had their first kiss just that night, Jack had been a surprisingly good kisser. His lips had been so soft and warm against her own. They had lovingly caressed her cheeks and lips before they traveled elsewhere. He had traced the outlines of her fingers, the line where her skin and feathers met, his tongue flicking deliciously across her throat...The places where his mouth and her skin met on her neck tingled, sending more shivers down her back, making her ruffle her feathers again.

This time, North noticed. "Why you shivering over there, Tooth?" he called, raising an eyebrow.

Everyone turned to her, their gazes locked on the fairy, making her squirm in midair uncomfortably.

"Am I making you too cold over there, Tooth?" Jack asked, grinning. There was a glint in his eye that made her think that he knew _exactly _what she was thinking about.

What had happened between the two Guardians the night before his operation hadn't truly been discussed yet. They had both agreed that every single word they said that night had been honest, not a spur-of-the-moment thing, but said how they had truly felt. Nor did they have any conflicting feelings about what they had done. But there was one thing they had not yet decided on: when they should tell the others.

Jack wanted to tell them immediately; Tooth wanted to wait. The fairy wasn't sure what was holding her back; she had had relationships before, and they had always been okay with it. Maybe because it was a fellow Guardian or maybe because it was Jack, though she recalled how she hadn't been this hesitant when she was with Bunny. Maybe it was both, Tooth wasn't sure. But whatever it was, it made her fly across the room, away from Jack if they had been kissing or even just embracing each other whenever she heard footsteps outside the door. And she knew that Jack was getting exasperated with her, by his sighs and eye-rolls whenever she fled, but she knew that he wouldn't tell anyone until she was ready.**  
**

"N-No, I'm fine. It's just, I had some of your iced tea from earlier, North, and I think it had one too many ice cubes," she lied.

North frowned mightily. "One too many ice cube? That is impossible! I have elves mix and make ice tea _just _right so that I can put in fresh ice cubes!"

"Nah, mate, I think it might have been the iced tea. I feel a chill coming on too, mate." Bunny frowned as he laid a paw on his head, looking wobbly.

Sandy glanced at his own cup of iced tea, then shrugged nonchalantly and continued to drink from his. When he put it down, though, there was a look on his face that Tooth had always thought would appear on someone from Harry Potter who had just smelled a Dungbomb.

"Uh oh, I hope the elves didn't start an epidemic, North," Jack said, glancing at the cup of iced tea that North had brought for him earlier on the nightstand that he had never touched.

North gritted his teeth. "I am going to have talk with them later."

_Oops. _Tooth didn't mean for the elves to get in trouble. _Oh well, _she thought, _too late now._

"I have a question, actually," Jack said, breaking into Tooth's thoughts. Everyone turned to look at him. "When was the last times you guys got out?" he asked.

Bunny tilted his head to the side in confusion. "What do you mean, mate?"

"I mean, I know I was kidding about you having to communicate by antenna because you never leave here, but when was the last time you guys got outside? Made eggs, collect teeth, deliver dreams?" He glanced at the other Guardians, then realization dawned on him. He swiveled around in his chair to face them, disbelief plain on his face. "Don't tell me you guys haven't left since I've got here, have you?"

"'Fraid so, mate."

"But that's not good!" Jack exclaimed. "You guys just can't stay here and wait for me to be fully recovered while Pitch could be out there doing who knows what!" They winced at the name, but he ignored them and continued, "I'm better now. Way better than before. I can take care of myself. And North, won't Christmas Eve begin in three hours?"

"Yes, Jack, but I thought it would best if maybe I stay here, to monitor you," he suggested.

"And call off Christmas?" Jack shook his head violently. "NO, you _can't _do that for me. In fact, _none _of you guys should be doing that for me! I'm fine, now. I don't need to be watched!"

"But Pitch-" Bunny started, but Jack cut him off.

"Pitch wouldn't dare come up to the North Pole with all these yetis! Am I right, Phil?" he added to the brown yeti standing guard at the doorway. The yeti replied in a gruff rumble. "See? HE get's it! And besides, I can defend myself again now." He hesitated, then continued in a soft voice, "I won't let Pitch get me again like he did last time. I'm ready for him now."

"And we know that, Jack," Tooth said soothingly, laying a hand on his shoulder. "But we just can't risk it. Pitch is sneaky and crafty and-"

"No, wait. Jack has a good point, mate," Bunny interrupted, to everybody's surprise. Even Jack blinked. "I mean, we can't just stop our lives for him, especially now that he's better."

"But Bunny-" Tooth began to protest.

He held his paws up defensively. "Look, I'm not saying that I like the idea. But I just think that maybe, just for Christmas Eve, let's go out and do what we're supposed to be doin', paintin' eggs and deliverin' gifts and whatnot. Then, on Christmas day, we come straight back here."

North stroked his beard, clearly thinking hard. Then he shrugged. "I do not see why we cannot do this. Sandy? What do you think?"

The sandman tilted his head to the side, pursing his lips as he thought. Finally, he gave a 'why-not' look.

"Tooth?" Jack asked gently. The fairy looked up to see him looking at her intently, his gaze soft. "It'd make me feel a little bit less guilty if we had a unanimous vote."

She rolled her eyes, but nodded her head. "Okay. But_ one day_," she warned. "And then you're back on house-arrest." Despite her tone, she smiled, and leaned over and kissed him gently on the head, then leaned back and pushed his bangs out of his eyes.

"For the rest of the year," he promised, a light kindling in his bright blue eyes.

"Now what's the point in that?" Bunny demanded, teasing. "There's only a week after that until the new year."

"And by then, I'll be good as new." To prove his point, he stood up easily, and hopped on to the table before leaping on to the bookcase on the other side of the room, landing in a squat. "See?" he said as he turned around to face them, then sat down, his feet legs dangling off. "I'm practically better already."

"That's what you may say," Bunny said, striding up to him. He reached up and grabbed him by the hood of his hoodie. Jack yelped in protest as he slid off of the bookcase and swung in his grip. "But I think the blood tests might say different, mate," he said, grinning.

* * *

"I told you guys I was fine," Jack said triumphantly, over an hour later. He was hooked up to the cardiac monitor in his bedroom, a few needles going up his shirt, his arm sleeve rolled up to let the the sphygmomanometer wrap around his arm to measure his blood pressure. They had just finished taking his temperature, after sticking a needle into every one of his stitched scars or scabs to test them for any sin of infections, and had gotten the test results back. North was holding a long, papyrus scroll up to his eyes, squinting over the tiny black elfish print. The rest of the Guardians waited anxiously before he had finally announced that Jack was clear of all infections or diseases.

"We had to check, mate," Bunnymund reminded him, leaning against the door frame.

"No, actually. _You _had to check. Just admit you care and then you can hop away and paint your little eggs," Jack suggested.

"What?! I-I do not _care!_" Bunny cried, flustered. "I-I was just-"

"Just what?" Jack challenged.

Bunny rolled his eyes. "I have nothing to say," he said gruffly, crossing his arms, though you could almost see the red blush underneath his fur.

"He's right, Bunny," Tooth reminded him, curling her feet up to her chest in the chair left to Jack. "This _was _your idea."

He growled again. "I'm going to the Warren." He stomped his foot at the spot besides him, and the tiles parted to reveal a deep and earthy hole.

"Don't shut the door on your way out!" Jack called. He ignored him, and hopped into the hole. The tiles closed over his head, sealing it shut.

"Well, I think that we _all _should be getting ready," North sighed, rolling the scroll back up, and tucked it into the nightstand drawer before shutting it. He walked over to the small closet that Tooth had never really paid attention to by the door, and opened it. Inside, hung up in a straight line on the rack, were heavy red coats. Each one was a different style, though each one had a distinct similarity to the others. He reached in and grabbed one with a white fur lining that connected both flaps of the coat and lined the neck, and a black buckle that went around the waist. He slipped it on with surprising ease, then he reached up on the shelf above the coats and pulled down a red hat with a white cotton ball at the end. Jack stared at it; he had never seen North in his actual Christmas getup, and just assumed that he wore his Russian overcoat and cap always. As he slipped it on, he explained to Jack's surprised face, "Christmas is only one hour away. I must look the part. And Sandy, I think there are some tired souls who could do with a dream," he added as he buttoned up his coat. When he didn't hear a reply, he frowned and looked up. "Sandy? Sandy, did you- oh, Ну вот, опять!" he exclaimed in his thick Russian accent.

Sandy was fast asleep, passed out on the sofa on the opposite side of the room. His arms hung off of the couch, his face squished adorably against the armrest. North exhaled loudly, and stomped over to the couch. "SANDY!" he bellowed loudly over the sandman. "WAKE—UP!" Tooth and Jack winced at the loud yell, Tooth covering her ears. Sandy's golden face scrunched up, the arches over his eyes furrowing, clearly annoyed that he had been woken up; he blinked his dark yellow eyes wide, then opened his mouth in yawn. "Sandy, we must get going," North urged. "It is time to leave." The sandman pouted at North as he swung his feet over the edge of the sofa. "I know, I know you are tired. We all are," North sighed. Neither of them noticed Jack's suddenly guilty expression. "But we must get this done." North then stood up straight, and took a step towards the door before stopping and turning around to look at Tooth. "Toothie, aren't you coming?"

"I'll be out in a second," she assured him. "I just want to talk to Jack for a moment." Jack raised an eyebrow at her, but didn't say anything.

North shrugged. "Okie-dokie. I will see you out in fifteen minutes."

Tooth turned to Jack, who was looking at her with sharp, inquisitive eyes. Just like a cat. Jack, in one way or another, had always reminded her of a feline. Maybe it was the way how he moved, trying to be as light-footed to the point where nobody could even feel his vibrations in the ground, or how he would make quick head-tilts, or the smirk that flitted on to his face of self-satisfaction or mischievousness. Or how he could seem to be so independent, non-reliant on anybody- at a glance. But when you get to know him, you find out that he desired company and the warmth of another person beside him. Tooth had never been particularly fond of cats- then again, she had never been fond of any animal, they had always seemed to have an unwanted interest in her feathers- but for once, she found the thought of someone being cat-like...intriguing.

"What is it?" he asked as she glided towards him, snapping her out of her reverie.

She hesitated when she stopped besides his bed, then put her hand over his. "Promise me that you won't do anything stupid?" she asked desperately.

He raised an eyebrow, grinning. "I thought your girlfriend was supposed to have faith in you."

"No, Jack, I'm serious. Don't leave the North Pole, don't go investigating strange noises, don't try and take on anything by yourself." The words were suddenly flowing from her mouth, tumbling out like Niagara Falls, unable to stop. She felt a strong sense of foreboding wrapped around her heart, constricting it until it could no longer pump. It was fear. Fear that suddenly, when all was going well, when things were starting to go back to normal, it would all be destroyed. That everything she loved, manifested into the healing spirit before her, would be snatched away the moment she left, unable to protect him. "If you need help, call one of the yetis. Don't leave your room unless you're with Phil. Don't-"

"Whoa, Tooth, slow down," Jack said in alarm, pushing himself upright. "What are you worrying about? It's only gonna be for today."

"I know, but I can't lose you again, Jack," she whispered. "Not to Pitch. Not to some accident. Not to _anything_. If _anything _were to happen to you, I would just-" She trailed off, then shook her head. "I would die," she finished.

His eyes softened a bit, and he reached over and wrapped her in his arms. Without hesitating, she melted against them, resting her head upon his shoulder, letting herself be lost with him. "Hey, hey, it's gonna be okay," he said soothingly, smoothing back her head feathers, pressing his cheek against hers. "Nothing's gonna happen, okay?"

"I just don't want to take any chances," Tooth whimpered as she pulled away, though their hands were still interlocked.

"And you won't," he said firmly. He leaned forward and gave her a soft kiss on the forehead, then drew back and gave her a smile, one without the usual teasing edge. It was honest and genuine. **  
**

"You're right," she sighed, standing upright. Then she darted a fierce look at him. "But _promise_ me that you won't do anything stupid?"

"I'm Jack Frost. I can't promise anything," he said in a serious tone.

She rolled her eyes, but the assurance that he had given her had lifted her spirits, and she gave him a quick smile before turning to leave.

Jack watched her from behind as she glided back towards the door, noticing how her wings never seemed to beat slower than 60 times per second, when it happened. A sudden clench of fear, the same one that had attacked Tooth earlier, now dove at his own senses. "Tooth, wait!" he called. The fairy turned around, surprised. Without thinking, he jumped off of the bed and seemed to cross the room in a single bound, and suddenly she was in his arms, and he was kissing her. Tooth made a noise in the back of her throat as she felt his lips desperately press against her own, trying to cram as many unsaid feelings and desires into her as possible without ripping off his clothes. His fingers dug into her hips as he pulled her impossibly closer to him, so that their chests were rubbing against each other to the point where it was almost uncomfortable. His mouth moved frantically against hers, kissing her almost sloppily. He hated to kiss her in a way that she did not deserve, but at the moment, all he could think about was the unending terror that was sure to come when she left.

Suddenly, he felt the palms of her hands against his chest, and was suddenly aware that she was gently pushing him backwards, walking them back over to his bed. He let her sit him back on the bed and lay him down, and only began to protest when she pulled away from him. "Shh," she whispered, pressing a finger to his lips. "We can finish this later. Just be safe." Then she took his head in both hands, and kissed his forehead, then leaned down and whispered in his ear, "I love you."

His brilliant blue eyes flickered up to meet hers. "I love you, too," he said hoarsely. He sighed, and fell back against his covers, a hand clasped to his forehead. "Could you hand me that book over there?" he asked, pointing at _The Clockwork Princess__,_ which was laying on the table. Tooth had never read it before, or the series it was part of, but apparently it was good enough for Bunny to get it for Jack when he found out he hadn't been able to read it yet. "I need something to distract me," he explained as she handed it to him.

"I understand." Tooth leaned down and gave him another quick kiss on the forehead. "Now, be safe. Be strong. And _don't _get into any trouble." She drew her fingers along the outline of his body as she glided away, her fingers dancing on top of his toes. She laughed when he let out a squeal and yanked them away, then blew him a kiss before darting out the room and shutting the door behind her, afraid that something else might happen, and she would just give up on the whole plan and just lock herself in Jack's room.

"That took longer than fifteen minutes," North remarked when she finally joined the other remaining Guardians in the globe room.

"Hmm? Oh, yeah. Jack was starting to have second thoughts," she said vaguely.

North rose an eyebrow, but didn't say anything. "Alright, so we all meet back here in twenty-four hours, which is-" He lifted his wrist to check his watch "-at midnight tomorrow. Does everybody got it?"

"Wait, does Bunny know?" Tooth asked.

"I'll get a message to him. But in the meantime..." North pulled out a snow globe and threw it; almost immediately, in burst into a frenzy of colors that swirled around the portal. He grinned broadly at the rest of the Guardians. "Merry Christmas."

Tooth wanted to point out that it was only Christmas Eve, but suddenly, the prospect being able to leave the North Pole sent an exciting rush through her. Now she could go back to her palace, see her fairies, make sure that everything was going well with the teeth. _Teeth. _Oh, how long had it been since she had allowed herself to be immersed with her obsession about teeth? Days? Weeks? Just the thought of being able to do so, even if only for less than a day, made her want to just zip all the way back to Tooth Palace and just-! "Well, see you guys in a day!" she said brightly to North and Sandy, then without another word, darted into the portal and-

She was back at the Tooth Palace.

For a moment, she didn't know what to do. For a couple seconds, she just stood there, on the bridge that connected the Northern Tower and the Southern Tower. The scene was so much more different than what she had become accustomed to over the past month. Instead of large rooms with exquisitely built furniture and cozy fireplaces, she was up high in the air, wind pulling gently at her feathers, standing on cobbled stone. To her right was a spiral tower that rose up from the stalagmites, shining different shades of pink and purple. To her left was a tower that spiraled down from the stalactites, flashing the same colors. Fairies were darting back and forth above the bridge, paying her no attention. Then one fairy stopped when it passed by her, then loud out an excited shriek and shot herself at Tooth's chest.

Tooth stumbled back a couple feet in the air, then laughed and embraced the small tooth fairy, instantly recognizing the gold tooth that adorned her head, just like her own. "Hey, Baby Tooth!" she laughed as she darted around her, squeaking excitedly. "Oh, I've missed you, too," she cooed as she cradled her in her arms. The other fairies were beginning to notice her arrival, too, and were beginning to crowd around her eagerly. Baby Tooth twinkled a long question, which was uplifted by the calls of the other fairies. "Yes, yes, don't worry, Jack is fine. He is fine, and is getting better as we speak," she assured. Her words were met with a joyous cheer from the mini fairies, and suddenly she was swarmed by all her little fairies who were desperate to get more details on the white-haired boy.

Overwhelmed, she clapped her hands loudly for silence. When she had it, she called, "Don't worry. Jack is now okay. He'll be completely recovered by the time New Year's is over." The fairies cheered again. When the noise had died down, she continued, "And I know that all of us are eager for him to be well, and that we want to see him safe. But there are teeth to be collected and memories that need to be guarded. So who's with me?"

Another wave of screams answered, then the fairies began to scatter off to do their duties. Tooth noticed Baby Tooth flying away, and said sharply, "Except you, Baby Tooth. I'd lie to talk to you," she said sternly, tapping her foot in midair. _It's gonna take more than a month's absence to make me forget, _she thought.

Baby Tooth knew she had been found out. Her body sagged as she turned around, her eyes cast downwards, away from Tooth's cutting gaze as she glided towards her. As soon as she was in front of her, Tooth began to yell. "What were you _thinking?! _Not telling me that Jack had been captured! That he was being held captive by Pitch and being tortured! How could you be so selfish?!" Baby Tooth had to stand there and listen to her rant on and on for what seemed like hours, and whenever she tried to get a word in for her defense, Tooth would shout above her. So she had to stand there and endure the endless tirades. Never before had she ever seen Tooth so worked up and upset and..._angry. _There was no other word to describe it. In all of the centuries that she had known her, she had never seen Tooth _angry_. You just couldn't apply that word to her.

But there it was, as clear as daylight in her eyes that she was _pissed _at the little fairy, who hovered, trembling like a leaf in a hurricane's fury.

"And I know you had his best interests at heart, but what on Earth would possess you to keep a promise like that?!" she yelled. Before she could even edge in an answer, Tooth shook her head and closed her eyes, pinching the bridge of her nose between her thumb and forefinger. "I'm just so disappointed in you, Baby Tooth."

Baby Tooth flinched. She might as well have thrown stones at her; at least rocks would have hurt less. She opened her beak to give a final attempt at defending herself, but Tooth interrupted. "No, Baby Tooth. No excuses. Just...just go, okay? I- Just leave." Her mismatched eyes widened, and without thinking, reached for Tooth. It had always been the first thing she would always do when she was afraid or upset. But this time, Tooth wasn't having it. "No, Baby Tooth!" Tooth snapped, jerking away from her. "Just go!" She recoiled, hurt flashing in her eyes, and flew away, trying to hold back the tears stinging behind her eyes.

When she was gone, Tooth sighed and pressed a hand to her forehead. She knew it hadn't been right to have lashed out at Baby Tooth right now, especially when she knew that Baby Tooth had done it for Jack and not for herself, that the secret had hurt her as badly, if not more, as it did the Guardians. But the anger that she had learned to hold in during the first week from not just Baby Tooth's betrayal, but at everything- Jack's secret, his illness, the scary moments where she thought he would die, the times where she was left alone with only her thoughts and couldn't imagine living if she didn't have that snowy-haired spirit besides her. It just couldn't be held in any longer. But to throw all of that unnecessary anger at Baby Tooth...

_I'll apologize when I get back from the North Pole, _she thought. _Right now, I have teeth to_ collect. She didn't know that she wouldn't get the chance for a long time.

* * *

Tooth was out collecting the teeth somewhere in California with two other fairies- Twinkle and Plume- when she finally noticed the time. It was nine o'clock, less than three hours from Christmas morning, which meant that somewhere, probably New Zealand, kids were already awake and playing with their toys. And she had noticed that there were presents already underneath the tree, signaling that North had already been in the house, which meant that North was probably almost done with doing the Pacific Islands, if he had already done the West Coast.

"You guys take these," she said, handing them the little teeth to her fairies. "I have to get back to the North Pole."

They trilled farewells and waved good-bye when she flew out of the house above the clouds and into the sky. The winds seemed to be unusually bitter and freezing, making her shiver and tuck in her arms and feet. But when she looked down, there was nothing on the windows or the cars' windshields to indicate that all of the city, not just her, was feeling this cold weather. Something nagged at the back of her mind, but she shook it off. _This is the Bay Area. It has crazy weather. No big deal, _she though, trying to ignore that dark sense of foreboding that she had felt before she had left Jack. She shook her head, and started to fly towards the Toy Factory.

By the time she had reached the North Pole, she had already forgotten about the incident, for more chilling matters laid at hand. When she had finally gotten inside the Globe Room, several of her tail feathers and some on her arms and shoulders had frozen together, restricting her movements and making her move very stiffly, not to mention she was covered in snow.

"Toothie!" North exclaimed in horror when he saw her fly in. "Why did you not say you needed transportation? Here, warm yourself by the fire." He put a big hand on her wings and gave her a gentle push towards the fireplace where Bunny was already warming himself.

"I'm sorry. I just keep on forgetting how cold it get's up here," she apologized, wincing when she heard the ice crack on her feathers crack as it melted. "Anyway, how did you guys do on your day out?" she asked, glancing at Bunny and Sandy.

"Wait, you do not want to know how Christmas went?" North protested.

"North, you've been the perfect Santa Claus for hundreds of years. I don't see why that would change now," she said warmly.

He swelled with pride at her words. Bunny spoke up. "Well, I just got three hundred eggs out of the way, which means I am a quarter of the way done with filling my quota."

"Is that good?" Tooth asked, shaking pieces of melted ice off of her feathers.

"Well, it means that I'm not behind anymore, which I guess is good. But the longer I stay, the more that won't be the case," he grumbled.

"Aw, come on, Bunny. It's for Jack! And besides, you'll only be here for another week, then you can go and paint as many eggs to your heart's content," she teased.

"Bug off," he snapped, but the good-natured grin on his face took away the sharp bite of the words.

She turned to Sandy. "And Sandy? How was your day?"

The sandman blinked sleepily at her, then opened his mouth in a huge yawn before slumping to the ground in a slumber.

"Ach, by the way he acts, you would think that he has been working for years," North said in mock-disgust as he picked him up in his arms. He turned around to leave, then glanced over his shoulder. "Tooth, isn't there someone waiting eagerly to see you?"

She blinked in confusion, then gasped when she realized who he was talking about. "I had almost forgotten! Jack!" Without another single thought, she flew out of the globe room and zoomed through the West Wing until she finally reached Jack's corridor. She barged into the room, almost bursting with excitement. "Jack, we're back!" she announced.

To her surprise, he didn't reply. He just simply stared at her. She frowned as she looked down at him, gently fluttering forward, before abruptly stopping in midair. Jack was laying just as how she had left him in his bed over twelve hours ago, propped up against the bedpost, his feet curled into his side and the book in his hands. The book was still there and he was still sitting up. But his face had changed. His eyes were wide open with fear, the pupils dilated, his eyes seeing nothing. The heart monitor that he was still hooked up to was beeping rapidly, matching the rapid rising of his chest.

"Jack!" She flew over to his still body and shook him. He still didn't reply. She shook him harder, his body flailing back and forth. Tears threatened to spill from her eyes. "Jack, please wake up!"

He didn't say anything. He just stared blankly out into space, completely unresponsive. It was almost like the times when his eyes would turn entirely black, except his eyes were clear, and she could see the fear and horror deep in the pools of his irises. And instead of writhing and flailing in pain, his body was more tense than a metal spring, his fingers clenching deep in the covers as he bear witness to the invisible horror in front of him.

Tooth gently drew her fingers along his cheek, trying to hold back the choking sob in the back of her throat. "Jack, please," she whispered. She imagined that she could feel him lift his arm and gently cup her face, saying that he was alright, the soft press of his lips against hers as he kissed her in assurance. But no; he stayed as still and immobile as before. Whimpering, she laid her head on his lap, tear streaks making tracks down her face.

Suddenly, she heard soft, almost silent footsteps from behind her that she could recognize anywhere. A shiver ran through her at the realization. She lifted her head from up from his lap, an anger ablaze from within her, replacing the pain. "What did you do to him?" she whispered.

"Nothing too bad," Pitch Black replied, amused. "It's not what you think. He'll be fine."

She whirled around to face him, her eyes burning, the tears suddenly gone. "Then why do it to him in the first place?" she demanded. "Why did you do it? What did you do to him?"

He shrugged, taking a single step towards them. Her feathers ruffled up, clearly agitated. He ignored her. "I guess you can say I did the opposite of what you do." He tossed something to her. In surprise, she caught it in one hand. It was a crudely made cylinder container, black grease stained on plain gray metal. She shook it and could hear something rattle inside. Curiosity getting the best of her, she opened it up, and shook out the contents into her hand. A couple blackened teeth fell into her hand. She shrieked in horror and dropped the teeth and the container. They hit the ground with a loud clatter.

"Those are Jack's." He nodded to the fallen teeth. "You see, I had a theory, back in Easter. If teeth hold memories of someone's lives, and you somehow activate the good ones, well, then, why can't I bring back the bad ones?"

"You monster," she whispered, thinking of all the kids he had experimented on.

"No, don't worry, I didn't use the children," he assured her, knowing what she was thinking. "But I have to admit, it took me a while. I was trying all the time, for ages, but I wasn't able to get them. Then after me and Jack's little..._get-together_ in November, I was able to access him a little bit easier. Then it REALLY got easy when he was feeling all that angst and whatnot with you guys," he chuckled, crossing his arms. "And I thought _I _caused pain_."_

Tooth's cheeks burned red. He ignored her flush and continued, "I was able to get to him so much more easily until your little sandman got in the way," he growled, then sighed. "Unfortunately, since then, I have not been able to access him at all."

"Thank Man in Moon for that," she spat. Something inside of her roared for revenge, for attack. Something primal and beast-like. A part of her that she had buried centuries ago. In her mind's eye she saw a tiger, roaring and clawing at the cage she was kept in, the desire to be released more strong than Tooth had ever felt. _It's time, _a voice said in her head. Something hard and metallic slid into her palms, and she tightened her grip on them.

Pitch didn't seem to notice her mental raging. "But wait!" he grinned, lifting a finger for silence. "I was still able to bring back _one_ bad memory. One. And I am making him relive the memory of all of his nightmares. And I used it precisely for this moment." He spread his arms wide. "Christmas. And the best part is, _you_ fell into it. Not the fat man, or the rabbit, or even the sandman. I got _you_. The exact person I needed. Better than I ever hoped," he boasted.

She felt her heart stop."Fell into what?"

He grinned cruelly.

"The trap." Without a warning, he leaped at her. She barely had time to lift up her swords to block his attack. They slashed at his hands, and he darted backwards, snarling as black liquid oozed out where she had cut him.

Tooth stared at the two swords in her hands, recognizing them as the ones she had used when she had been young, before she became a Guardian. They had to be. Both curved elegantly to the side, made of stainless steel that glinted faintly in the lamplight, the hilts pure gold. They had disappeared ages ago, so long ago she didn't even remember how or why. Nor did she know how the suddenly appeared into her hands. But there they were.

"Where did you get those?" Pitch growled, his gaze fixed on the swords in her hands.

His voice snapped her out of her reverie. The fairy lifted her head, her eyes blazing defiantly as she took her fighting stance. "Now are you really going to ask that again?" she said quietly.

He hissed as he shook his sleeves over his wounds. "So be it." From underneath his cloth he produced two long daggers, spikes protruding from the edges. The blade gleamed evilly in the light. Tooth almost puked when she saw the handles: each was a single femur bone. She felt a shudder run through her body. "Afraid?" he said softly, twirling them in between his fingers.

"In your dreams," Tooth snarled.

Pitch's face became an ugly scowl, and with a short cry, he jumped at her again. She quickly hopped to the side before swinging her sword. He was just able to knock away her blow with the flat side of his dagger before it could cut into his skin again. Gritting her teeth, she slashed her other sword, and grinned when she heard the cry of pain as it cut into something solid. Pitch swung his right dagger, and she neatly stepped out the way before hitting him upside the head with the blunt end of her weapon. He stumbled backwards, hitting the chair, looking dazed. Tooth saw her chance and kicked him in the stomach. He gasped as he doubled over, the breath knocked out of him. Suddenly her elbow was there, and he grunted as he was knocked to the ground.

Tooth aimed a stab at his chest, anticipating the feel of sword going through flesh, but it only went through the carpet. His shadow scuttled away. She attempted to correct her mistake and tried to pull her sword out of the floor. But then she felt something solid knock into her, wrapping its arms around her tightly, as it pinned her to the ground on her back.

Crying out as the delicate wings on her back were crushed under her, she looked up and saw yellow eyes glaring back. Thinking quickly, she brought her knee up, and was rewarded with a groan of pain and the tight grip around her loosened. She wiggled out from underneath Pitch and struggled to her feet. Suddenly, his hand shot out and grabbed her ankle and yanked her back to the ground. Her head hit the ground with surprising force, and she saw stars.

Pitch took the chance and quickly knocked her swords out her hands, making them skid across the floor, before grabbing her by the throat and throwing her against the wall. Pain shot all through her body, her head and wings throbbing. _I have to get up, she thought._ Before she could move, though, Pitch lifted his leg and brought it down into her stomach. She screamed in agony, her body curling up on herself. Then Pitch had her by throat again, this time pinned against the wall.

She choked on his tightening grip and clawed at the hand that was holding her. He laughed cruelly. "I have to admit, I wasn't expecting that much of a fight out of _you. _Yet you still manage to surprise me after all this time." Tooth tried to say something, but the lack of oxygen to her brain and the throb of pain in the back of her skull that made the room spin, she could only gasped and sputtered. "What was that?" he mocked, leaning in as if trying to hear what she had said. She glared at him, and spat in his face.

His mocking smile slid off his face as he wiped off her saliva with his free arm. Tooth cried out in pain as his fist connected with her stomach. "That'll teach you to be quiet, won't it?" he panted. She only whimpered, her legs curling up into her stomach. He scoffed. "Really? A couple minutes of pain and you shut up? I remember Frost would go _on _and_on _about how___ dreadful_ I was. He's persistent like that, you know."

When she didn't reply, he frowned. "You know, I am honestly beginning to wonder if this was a good idea. You are absolutely no fun. Then again, you never were."

"Why bother, then?" she shot.

He rolled his eyes. "Don't think I'm taking you for the pleasure of hurting you."

"Then why?"

"Because it hurts Jack," he said simply. "You see, when I would send him the worst of nightmares and horror dreams, I began to notice a pattern. It would always be of losing someone important to him, or all of them. And there wasn't that many," he added. "There was the sandman, not surprising, and Nicholas, of course. Then there was the Easter rabbit, I wasn't expecting that one. But there were three that popped up the most." He wiggled three long fingers at her. "His sister. I never even knew he had one. Then that little kid during Easter, what was name?" he asked, looking genuinely curious.

"Jamie," she whispered, then was suddenly overwhelmed with relief that she had had the good foresight to send him home.

"Jamie," he repeated thoughtfully. "I saw him come up numerous times. I must admit, I didn't enjoy watching the little kids being murdered," he confessed. A cry that was similar to a strangled cat escaped her mouth. He ignored her and went on, "But I believe the most I saw was of _you._" Her eyes widened. He smirked. "Yes, it was quite surprising to me as well."

She only stared dumbly at him, unable to come up with any responses. Jack would have one. Jack always knew what to do. Her eyes flickered to the still figure lying on the bed. "What did you do to him?" she rasped.

"Come on, don't you want to know how I came to this?" he sneered, leaning in close. Her eyes and nose stung at the stench of his breath. Pitch stood up straight, then continued, "After Jack somehow managed to escape me, I planned to use this knowledge against him. I know now that breaking his spirit wasn't enough. It's too strong, too bright," he grumbled. "But that's because he doesn't really care about his well-being. Well, not as much as he does for others. And I finally realized that it would take not the pain of himself to finally destroy him, but the pain of the people he loves," he said softly. "Isn't that sweet?" When she didn't reply, he sighed and went on. "The thing is though, his sister is dead, has been for over two centuries apparently, then Jamie. But I would never harm a child. Well, physically, anyway." He chucked, and she whimpered again. "Which left—" he reached up and gently tapped her on the nose gently with his forefinger, smiling"—you."

She flinched at the touch.

"Why are you doing this?" she whispered.

He shrugged. "At first, I only planned to make Jack pay for what happened in April. But then I got curious," he admitted. "And then I realized that I had grown an—attachment, if you will—to him. Probably the same as yours," he added wryly.

"I _love _Jack!" Tooth shouted, a sudden fury filling her. Words began to tumble out of her mouth without her even thinking about them. "You-You have some sick, strange obsession for him. You don't love _him_, you love his pain! You _stabbed_ him, you _whipped_ him, you _raped_ him! You are _evil_, you are _sick_, and you—" she choked off on the last word as Pitch tightened his grip around her throat.

"I wouldn't want to talk if I were you," he said quietly, then tilted his head to the side, looking into her purple eyes. "You know," he said suddenly, "I wonder how your eyes looked before you became a Guardian."

Tooth stared at him in confusion, and didn't notice him pulling something out from his robe before it was too late. She screamed out as he stabbed something into her side. Spots blinked against her eyes as she felt herself vibrating violently. A fire that she had never felt before seemed to crawl through her bloodstream, poisoning her, taking away pieces and parts of her. She wanted to scream, but she couldn't. She couldn't move move. All of her energy was suddenly gone from her body. And just like that, so was she.

Tooth's fingers fell from his hand around her throat, her head rolled to the side, and her whole body dangled from his grip. "Pathetic," he said in disgust as he released her. She immediately crumpled to the ground in a heap of feathers.

Tooth groaned as another wave of tingling rushed over her body, flopping one arm out. Then she froze. Moving slowly, she propped herself on to her elbows and held her arm out. There weren't any feathers at all, just tanned skin. She felt another tingle along her body, and she put a hand to her side where it originated. Without a warning, a bunch of feathers came off with her fingers. She stared in horror at the spill of blue and green at her side, then looked up at Pitch, who was observing her silently. "What have you done?" she cried, sitting upright. More feathers spilled off of her, revealing more of her tanned skin.

"What you always wanted," he replied in amusement. She whimpered as her chest and stomach became visible. She hadn't felt this naked in centuries. He bent over and hissed in her face, "To be human."

Her eyes widened in terror as the last feather, the golden one atop her head, fell from her head. She felt soft hair tumble down around her face in long, dark waves, reaching her waist. They felt cool against her back.

_Wait… _

Tooth glanced over her shoulder, then cried out as she found no fairy wings against her back, just skin. "No," she whispered. But she couldn't deny it; she was human again.

"Yes." Pitch loomed over her, his dark shadow cast around the former fairy, the darkness sending chills of terror down her now bare back. He reached for her, and she scrabbled away from his hand. Pitch sighed, and stepped forward and grabbed a handful of her hair and yanked forcefully on it before dragging her back towards him. Her wails of pain were quickly muffled from the hand clamped around her moth as he clamped a hand over it. But that didn't stop her; she kicked and flailed her arms as hard as she could, managing to catch Pitch a couple times in the face.

He snarled, and slammed her head against the floor. Her head seemed to crack open from the pain, her eyes seeing stars. The ground seemed to spin like a top. Pitch lifted her head again so they were eye-level. His mouth twisted into a grotesque smile. "Have you ever heard The Hunchback of Notre Dame?" he asked softly.

"What?" she rasped, her head still spinning.

In reply, he slammed her head against the ground again, and the darkness claimed her.

* * *

_Now here is a riddle to guess if you can about the Hunchback of Notre Dame..._  
_How do you think this story's gonna end..._  
_Like the bells, bells, bells, bells, bells, bells, bells, bells,_  
_Bells of Notre Dame...?!_

And no, I'm not thinking about the Disney version. 3:D

Or am I?

stay tuned to find out!


	23. The Missing Guardian

Once again, I am late with the update. Ugh! Get it together, *name and address withheld*! I just hope this chapter is enough to sate your thirst until the last chapter!

You know, I have just realized that it's going to be very difficult to replicate the end of The Hunchback of Notre Dame. First off, Esmeralda's mother- her REAL mother- was killed when one of the guards knocked her out of the way to hang Esmeralda. Rashmi clearly already knew who her child was(hard to miss it with all those feathers) and is dead. Has been for centuries. Then, the part where the gypsies are attacking and Quasimodo thinks they're here to steal her away, so he attacks them and thinks the soldiers are here to help. I don't think Jack would be _that _stupid(not that Quasimodo is stupid, but he's not exactly the sharpest tool in the shed). So those two are out. Also, I think I'll just make Jack get super depressed and just die on Tooth's tombstone at the end. I don't think he'll try and sneak into her coffin. :D Oh, and I prefer the version where she's burned at the stake than being hung. A lot more dramatic. :-)

Oh, and p.s: I wish I had posted the next chapter two days ago. Just saying. And Don'tSleep! Don't you say anything!*does the I'm-watching-you-sign-thingy*

I own nothing.

* * *

"Something's up." The words left Bunny before he could actually process what was happening in his brain.

North looked up from his cup of hot cocoa, a bushy black eyebrow raised. The three remaining Guardians were still in the globe room, drinking just-steamed cups of hot-chocolate served by the yetis, North too wary of the elves to let them serve the drinks. North had just been talking about how he narrowly escaped being caught by a set of mischievous twins who had attempted to stay up all night to see Santa somewhere in Colorado when Bunny interrupted him. "What are you blubbering about now, Bunny?"

"There's something wrong. Very wrong." He couldn't explain it; there was just something shrieking at his rabbit senses that something bad was happening. His ears and eyes told him nothing, but somewhere in his heart he could just _feel _that something was wrong.

"With what?" North inquired, though the look on his face told him that the big man wasn't taking him seriously.

"Tooth. Jack. Both of them, I don't know, mate. I just know that-" He suddenly let out a cry, clutching at his chest. It was like long, sharp talons had gripped his insides and were twisting them, tangling them, before yanking them out of his chest viciously.

"Bunny!" North exclaimed in alarm, setting down his mug hastily and rushing over to the Easter Bunny. The sandman, who had been dozing in midair was now beside him, his eyes wide open with alarm. Bunny groaned as he doubled over, now clutching at his stomach, then let out another gasp as he fell to his knees. Ice was dripping into his veins, chilling him to the very core. It seemed to freeze him, stopping his blood cold, making him paralyzed. He let out a low moan. "Bunny! Что не так? What is wrong?"

He shook his head, unable to speak, then cried out as a stab of pain hit his abdomen, now on all fours. He cried out again as another invisible blow struck again, this time striking his cranium. And again. Bunny moaned in pain as he rolled over, his paws scrabbling desperately at his head. North saw spots of blood appearing where his paws were clawing at, and immediately grabbed them and held them away from his head. "Bunny, don't!"

A searing pain flew through his body, and Bunny screamed. He screamed and screamed. He arched his back and clawed at the ground, pulling up the floorboards and tearing through the wood. The pain...It was like nothing he had ever experienced before. It was like being dipped into acid after being lit on fire. And as quickly and unexpectedly as it came, it was gone. He fell back against the floor, breathing heavily, staring up at the ceiling.

North poked his head into his view-frame. "Bunny?" he asked cautiously.

"There's something wrong with the others," were the first things out of his mouth.

"I could have told you that myself," North told him. Though his voice was light, the lines around his eyes were pinched with worry, his usually sparkling blue eyes now dark with fear. He helped Bunny up, then, without another a word, all three of them ran out the room and charged towards Jack's room. Bunny burst through the door, then stepped back in horror.

The room was in terrible disarray. All of the nightstands and chairs were scattered across the room, the table was overturned, and one of the walls looked like it had a dent in it. Black liquid oozed on the ground, and there were scraps of hair and clothing lying on the floor. But what made Bunny's fur stand on end were the colorful feathers dotting the floor, covering almost half of the ground. All iridescent shades of green and blue. And one, that stood out like a flare against the midnight sky, less than three feet in front of him, was the golden feather that always adorned the top of Tooth's head.

"No," Bunny whispered, covering his mouth with both hands, shaking his head. "No."

"Jack!" North's cry made Bunny jump. The big man pushed past him and rushed over to Jack's side, who was still laying the bed, and Bunny had forgotten all about. For a second, he was indignant for North being more concerned about the ice spirit than Tooth, then realized why. The heart monitor that he had forgotten to unhook Jack from was beeping wildly, so fast that he thought it should of stopped long before now. His eyes were wide open, staring straight past him and into nothing. "Jack!" North called, gripping him by the shoulders and shaking him roughly. He didn't reply, or even blink. "Jack!" North bellowed into his face. He didn't even flinch. He cursed as he let him fall back into the pillows, pacing back and forth, then stopped and glanced at Jack strangely. He took a deep breath, then brought his hand up. "I am sorry, Jack. Just remember that this hurts you more than it hurts me."

"Wait, what are you about to-" Bunny started, but then North swung down his hand, and his palm hit the side of Jack's cheek with a loud _smack!_

The moment his hand fell away from his face, Jack abruptly sat upright, his eyes blinking rapidly. "Ow!" As soon as he sat up, the heart monitor immediately began to slow down.

"Jack!" North exclaimed. "I can't believe that worked!"

He ignored him. "Where's Tooth?" he demanded in a low voice.

Bunny glanced at North, who only stared back. When nobody answered him, Jack reached for the cord that still hooked him up the heart monitor and ripped it off of him with a loud _scratch! _and threw it on to the ground."Jack!" North exclaimed. Tiny blood splatters had come off with it.

Jack continued to ignore him, and reached for the needle that was still embedded in his skin, and yanked it out. A stream of red blood squirted out from his arm, getting it on his arm and on the floor. "Jack, mate, stop!" Bunny shouted. Jack only shook his head, and leaped off of the bed. The Guardians watched him, confused, as he stormed towards the wall, then, without a warning, put his fist through it. It crumpled like sandpaper, and his arm went all the way through it.

"Jack!" North shouted.

He whirled around to face him, an anger that Bunny had never seen before in his eyes now blazing like fire in his ice blue eyes. Before he knew it, Jack was yelling. "Pitch was here! He was _right here_, in _my _room! He came here and took her! I was _right here_! I could have stopped him! I could have saved her! I could have-" With another roar of frustration, he swung his fist again, and just like the first time, he punched right through the wall.

"Jack, mate, stop! There was nothing you could have done!" Bunny exclaimed.

The ice spirit whirled around, glaring at him. "Oh yeah? You so sure about that? If I had just been able to close my mind off to Pitch, he wouldn't of been able to take me, he wouldn't of been able to _get _into my mind! But no! And now, because of me, Tooth is gone!" He raised his fist again to the wall, looking as if he was ready to punch it again, then, just when he pulled back, his arm fell. He groaned and slumped against the wall, his eyes squeezed tight. "It's all my fault," he whispered, barely audible enough for Bunny to hear. "It's all my fault."

For a couple moments, nobody said anything. What could you say? Each of them could feel at least as much of the guilt and pain that Jack was feeling, if not twice as much; unlike Jack, they hadn't been under some type of spell put on by Pitch. They, unlike Jack, had been perfectly aware of their surroundings, and, unlike Jack, hadn't believed that Tooth was in any sort of danger. They would have been extremely capable of saving her when Jack couldn't. But they hadn't. And now she was gone.

The Guardians all just stood there, in their own forms of pain and guilt. Then, Sandy, who had been hovering above the chair that Tooth had always sat in with his head bowed and hands clenched in front of him, lifted his head up, then floated to Jack, leaving a trail of golden sand behind him. The ice spirit didn't look up when he approached him, and flinched when he felt soft, warm arms embrace him.

"Get off, Sandy," he said flatly. The sandman ignored him, and only hugged him tighter. He rose his voice. "Sandy, get _off._" Sandy shook his head, and laid his head on Jack's shoulder, squeezing his eyes closed as he snuggled his head into the crook of his neck. They stood there for a while like that, the other Guardians standing by, not sure what was gonna happen next. As his eyes flicked to everybody's faces, Jack realized that the sandman wasn't going to let go any time soon. He sighed.

Sandy felt Jack shift around in his arms, then felt his cold arms go around his middle and his chin on the top of his head, so that they were embracing each other. The sandman noticeably relaxed, relieved that he wasn't going to push him away or anything. Suddenly, he felt what felt like wet drops land on his shoulders. Frowning, he opened his eyes and looked up, then blinked in surprise when he saw tears streaking down Jack's cheeks. Sandy reached up and patted his cheek with a chubby hand clumsily. Jack opened his eyelids to reveal red eyes, and when he opened his mouth to speak, a choking sob came out instead.

"Oh, Jack," North sighed. He strode up to him and engulfed both of the Guardians in his huge arms. Jack winced as he was smushed against the man's chest. "We are all worried, too."

"Yeah, mate," Bunny agreed, joining the group hug, his arm across what part of North and Sandy's own arms didn't cover, and stretched across North's back. Now the remaining Guardians were huddled together, pressed against one another to the point where it was almost uncomfortable. Jack could feel every texture of his friends, from North's soft wool coat to Bunny's warm fur to Sandy's, well, sand. There was only one thing missing, though. The feel of feathers, always brushing against his cheeks or tickling his chin, was gone. Jack choked on another sob again, squeezing his eyes shut, more tears threatening to spill.

Bunny heard him, and tucked his head under his chin, making soft, shushing sounds. "It's okay, Frostbite. It's okay. We'll get her back don't worry. If the little tyke doesn't get out herself," he added, earning a half-laugh, half-choking sound from him. "But in case she doesn't," he continued, "we'll find her."

"You promise?" His voice came out in a raspy croak.

"We promise, mate" Bunny assured him. "We promise."

* * *

Jack's legs dangled off of the end of the sleigh, staring lifelessly at the snowy wonderland, as they soared over the frozen desert. They were flying to the Tooth Palace, as a first place to look, though it was a long shot if Pitch had decided to take her there. But it was still a chance.

Nobody spoke; even Bunny wasn't able to conjure any frightened faces during the ride out of the Toy Factory. He wasn't surprised; what was there to say?Ever since they had left the Toy Factory, all of the life in the group seemed to be gone. Deep his chest, Jack could feel a sort of emptiness, a piece of himself that had been brutally ripped away from him. And somehow he knew that the other Guardians could feel it, too. It was a soft, gentle burn on their hearts, but it was a burn and it still hurt. And each one believed that they could have done _something _to stop Pitch from taking Tooth, not just Jack. Yeah, they might have comforted _him _when they had figured out Pitch had taken Tooth, but there were still uneasy feelings and dark thoughts, thoughts Jack knew weren't floating around in just his head.

_Is she okay? __I could have done something._

_Is she hurt? I could have saved her._

_Is she being tortured? _

_Is she dead?_

Jack flinched at the last one, but he couldn't help but wonder. Before, he would have assumed that she was only being plagued by nightmares. But now he knew watch Pitch was fully capable of. And he wouldn't be surprised if he killed her. The thought made his fingers clench tightly around his staff, making his pale knuckles go even whiter. He didn't even notice. All that he was conscious of was a deep ache in his chest, something constricting around his heart. _Guilt. Loss. _What was the difference? Even though he knew that there had been nothing he could of done to save her, somewhere, deep in his heart, he knew that he had failed her. After weeks and weeks of having taking care of him, putting up with his dark moods and taking care of his injuries and lifting up his spirits until he had been fully restored, this is how he repaid her?

_Of course, this would have never happened if I hadn't allowed Pitch to get to me, _he thought furiously. _If I hadn't been thinking about him, maybe..._He shut his eyes tightly. _No, it's too late for that. I can't go back and change what's already happened. What I can do, is go and find Tooth and bring her back safely. _He opened back up his eyes, and his grip on his staff relaxed. _That's what I can do. _

Then another dark thought entered his head. _But I'm gonna kill Pitch when this is all over. _

"Jack?" The ice spirit blinked, then glanced over his shoulder to see Bunnymund hesitantly approaching him, either wary that he might push him away, or worried that he would catapulted from the sleigh. "Can I sit with you?"

He shrugged as he turned his head back. "Go ahead."

"Thanks."

Bunny shuffled uncomfortably next to Jack, looking down nervously at the height below him, clearly terrified. Jack didn't know why the Easter Bunny had wanted to sit with Jack on the edge of the sleigh. _That sentence probably shouldn't even exist, _Jack thought. They were two of his least favorite things, if they weren't on his hate list, though Jack was pretty sure that after the last month he was starting to be on the 'tolerate' list. _Not that it mattered now, _he thought, sighing as he rested his head against the crook of his cane.

They sat there in silence for a couple moments, then Bunny finally spoke up. "It's as much your fault as it is mine, mate."

"Wow, straight to the point," Jack said dryly.

"No, mate, I'm serious."

"Doesn't mean it's true."

He shook his head. "I don't think you get it. I _felt _it, when Tooth was in trouble. I could feel it. Here." He pressed his left paw against his chest. Jack stared at his hand spread against the pale fur. He hadn't felt anything when Pitch came, except immense fear as the memories of the torture and the pain rolled back to him in waves. When he woke up, he just had know, had pieced the puzzle together. "And in a couple other places afterwards," he admitted. _But you still felt it, _Jack thought, feeling sick. He loved Tooth. He loved her with all of his life, both mortal and immortal. How could he not have felt it? "But I knew something was wrong, and I could have warned the others before it was too late. But I was just as powerless as you. We all were, Jack."

Jack snorted. "Yeah, right. Thing is, I could have _prevented _it. I could have-"

"No, you couldn't, mate," Bunny said sharply, startling Jack. "Pitch planned this. I know what you told us, that you had been thinking about Pitch and you accidentally let him into your mind, and while he had you trapped, he escaped from your head. But, when North and I searched the room, we found something." He twisted around to grab something form behind him, then turned back and held out his paw. Laying like coal on freshly-fallen snow were three blackened, decaying teeth that would have made Tooth set herself on fire. "We think these are yours."

"Um, I know I was born in the colonial times and we didn't have toothpaste back then, but I don't remember my teeth being _that _bad," he disagreed, recoiling away from the teeth.

"That's because Pitch did what Tooth did- I mean, _does _with teeth," he corrected hastily. Before Jack could question him, he hurried on, "He replaced the good memories with the ones you had when he had you caught, and activated them, just like Tooth and her fairies do."

Jack felt his stomach curl in on itself. "But how did he get them?" he croaked.

"He must of held on to a few before he gave you yours back, mate. But the thing is, when you're re-living your memories, you can't get out of there. You're just in that state, unable to move, unable to think of anything except as if you're actually there. When Pitch activated them teeth... there was nothing you could have done, Jack."

He bowed his head. "But I still should have been able to save her," he whispered, barely audible.

Bunny put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "According to that logic, mate, I should have, too. But Pitch outsmarted us this time." He reached over and clasped on his hands. Jack blinked in astonishment. Was Bunny _willingly _touching him? Without him having saying his discontent? "But next time, he won't be so lucky."

"He'll be lucky if there even _is _a next time," Jack snarled, temporarily forgetting Bunny's surprising gesture of affection.

He tilted his head, concern in his head. "Are you okay, mate?"

Jack barked a short, humorless laugh. "Well, the guy who tortured and raped me just used my memories to temporarily incapacitate me, swoops in and steals the girl I love, and might be hurting her as we speak, if she isn't hurt already." Bunny blinked in surprise at Jack's casual declaration, but the ice spirit continued, "You saw all the feathers. I'm surprised we didn't find any blood. But all I know is that I _don't care _if you can't kill fear." His fingers tightened on his staff. "I _will _murder Pitch Black and I _will _be the one who does it."

"Mate, calm down," Bunny said in alarm.

"No! I'm tired of trying to calm myself!" Jack shot, loudly enough so that the other Guardians turned around in surprise at the sudden noise. He didn't care. _Why should I?_ "I'm tired of trying to repress the past! He kidnapped me, he tortured me, he raped me, and now he kidnapped Tooth! I can't just let these things go!"

"We're not telling you-"

"Yes! Yes, you are!"

"No, we're not, mate! We want revenge just as badly as you do. It's just that we can't let these things consume us."

"I'm not letting it consume me," he snarled.

"Yes you are," Bunny snapped. "Trying to repress the past and letting it go are two very different things, mate."

"I don't see the difference."

He groaned in exasperation. "Okay, if you try and repress the past...you know the saying. What goes down what must always come back up. You'll never be able to escape from it. But if you let it go, then just do what Tooth told you."

Jack's blood froze. He whirled around to face Bunny, his eyes wide with shock. _How could he know about that? _It had been a dream! Unless... No, there was no way that could have been real. No way.

Bunny saw the surprised look on his face and shrugged. "She always did- I mean, does this when one of us have a traumatic experience. Scared the hell out of me the first time," he admitted. "I mean, crikey, dancing and singing nonsense. But it worked. And it should have worked for you, too," he added, peering at him intently.

He sighed, putting a hand to his forehead. All of the anger that was inside him had been pushed away by the shock, and now he just felt... tired. Not like how he felt after a long day of giving snow to the northern hemisphere and a few places below the equator, but as if every bone and muscle and vein in his body was spent. "It did work. But now..." He trailed off.

North had heard enough; he stood up abruptly from his front seat and handed the reins to Sandy before striding towards the two Guardians at the back. He plopped himself in the small space between Jack and Bunny, making the sleigh dip momentarily. Bunny let out a shriek of terror and scrambled backwards before tripping over the seats and fell flat on his back on the bottom of sleigh. North ignored him. "You can't let Pitch destroy that part of you, Jack. When it really boils down to it, to who we are, it doesn't matter what our center is, or who we were before. When we let the past affect us, good or bad, it shows the type of person we truly are. Jack, you are strong and brave, but you can also be self-absorbed and stubborn, though sometimes that is a good thing," he added as Jack opened his mouth to protest. "You are gentle and generous, though sometimes at the wrong times. You are proud, and that is also a good thing. You are made of so many _good _things, Jack. They are _good_." He put a hand on Jack's shoulder. "Do not let Pitch change these traits. _Promise _me that you won't," he pleaded.

Jack looked up at North. In the old man's eyes, he could see the affection and worry that filled the baby-blue eyes. In so many ways, he was like a father to him. And not just because they were both winter spirits and he just happened to be called 'Father Christmas'. No, it went farther than that. He had cared for him when he was sick and hurt, even bathed him willingly, always treated him with affection and respect even if he did break one of the toys or annoy the yetis, had offered him a home a couple times after last Easter. Jack recalled what North had said after he had told him the lie that he had been to California. _One day, we shall visit there during winter, just you and me. We will go into forests and hike mountains! Then, we go see sunset on the beach!_ As if they had been planning a family trip.

_Family._ The word rung in Jack's head like the bells of Notre Dame. He took a deep breath. "I'll try."

North looked disappointed, but shrugged. "I guess that's all I can ask of you." Then he smiled and clapped Jack on the back. "We'll get her, Jack."

"Yeah, mate," Bunny agreed as he pulled himself over the edge on Jack's other side, glancing down nervously at the height below him. "We've had to save each other before from Pitch, I doubt this time will be any different."

"Except now we have you," North added. "And I think that will make this a little less difficult."

Sandy popped out of nowhere from over Jack's shoulder, his football-shaped head nodding eagerly, a wide grin on his face as the sand above his head formed Jack beating Pitch over the head with his staff. Everybody laughed, before Jack realized something was wrong. "Wait, who's driving the sleigh?" he asked, turning to his friends. Bunny looked at North, and North looked at Sandy, and Sandy glanced over his shoulder, as if expecting that the Ghost Rider would be at the reins and flashing him a thumbs-up in assurance, mouthing, _I got this, bro. _

But, of course, the only thing that was flashing at them was the snow-covered mountain that was rapidly approaching them. "кого-то схватить вожжи!" North shouted in alarm. There was no need for a translation; everybody jumped to their feet and attempted to scramble past one another to get to the abandoned reins that was lying on the front seat. Jack was the first person to reach them; he grabbed them in one hand, and yanked them sharply to the side. The reindeer neighed in protested, but veered to the side, steering clear of the mountain.

Jack stared in disbelief, surprised that they hadn't crashed into the huge wall of white that had been bearing upon them just seconds before. He suddenly felt himself trembling, radiating from somewhere in his chest. A funny sound reached his ears that sounded like a DJ's remix of quick breaths. It took him a couple seconds to realize that he was _laughing_. The other Guardians stared at him, looking at him as if he had gone crazy, then, inexplicably, North began to laugh, too. And then Sandy joined in, his chiming laughter like the peals of bells. It took a while, but Bunny started to chuckle softly before bursting out in full laughter.

And the four remaining Guardians were laughing as if there were no tomorrow, unaware that there might as well not be a tomorrow.

* * *

"Where are all the tooth fairies?" was the first thing North said when they smoothly slid to a stop on the bridge at Tooth's palace. And he was right; not a tooth fairy was to be found. The usual sound of chirping and squealing and chiming of the fairies was replaced with the calls of the native birds. Jack swung himself out of the sleigh, glancing around the palace through narrowed eyes. He doubt that Pitch would come here just to steal the tooth fairies- he already had their queen. _What would he need them for? _he wondered. As his eyes slid over the ground, he noticed that there were tiny scattered blue-and-green feathers all of the place, but then there were also white and grey and even a couple purple-lined ones. He spotted a small golden feather, not unlike Tooth's larger one, and bent down to pick it up between his thumb and forefinger, and held it up to his eyes to inspect more closely. He felt another dull blow to his stomach when he recognized it. _Baby Tooth._

"Something happened to the fairies," he told the others as he stood up, tucking the feather in his pants' pocket.

"You don't say," Bunny said sarcastically as he attempted to tip-toe past the flashing feathers on the cobbled ground.

Jack rolled his eyes, but didn't reply. Suddenly, a small hummingbird flew up to him, chirping excitedly. Jack took a step back, startled, then grinned. "Hey, there, little guy. Whatcha doin' up here?" he cooed, holding out a finger, though he was half-expecting it to fly away. To his surprise, it landed on his index finger, squealing at him, practically jumping and down. "Whoa, whoa, hey! Calm down a bit, there."

Sandy glanced up at Jack and the hummingbird and smiled at them, then something behind the ice spirit caught his eye. They spread wide open, and he flew over to Jack and began to pull at his pants' leg urgently. Jack turned away from the hummingbird who was still chirping excitedly to the sandman. "What is it, Sandy?" He just pointed behind him, and he turned around just in time to see a flurry of wings and sharp beaks fly him.

With a yell, he fell backwards as the hummingbirds pushed him down, and threw up his arms to protect himself before realizing that they weren't really attacking him. Instead of stabbing him with their sharp beaks, they gently prodded at his sides and hair, as if they were making sure he was alright. The one that had been on his finger- he could tell from the light dusting of gold on its feathered back- started to twitter angrily, zipping around him as it chased away the other hummingbirds to a respectable distance. When it was clear that they weren't going to rush at him again, he sat up and rubbed at the back of his head with one hand as he watched in wonder at the hovering birds before him.

"I've never seen the birds around here act like that," Bunny remarked as he offered him a hand.

Jack gratefully accepted it, and Bunny pulled him to his feet. "Neither have I," he agreed, dusting the fallen green and blue feathers off of his clothes. "I've only seen the tooth fairies act like that." The hummingbirds began to chip loudly again, and the one with the freckled gold on its back started to fly around him and pull at his hoodie. Jack narrowed his eyes at it, noticing that it seemed to be acting an awful lot like... _No, _Jack thought, a sort of horror growing inside of him. _No. No way._

The hummingbird dove at Jack's middle and bean to tug furiously at his belt. "Hey! What are you doing?" he exclaimed, jumping away from it. It twittered angrily and flew at his belt again, this time grabbing at the golden feather. "Hey!" he shouted indignantly when it ripped it from his pants and flew backwards away from him. It hovered a couple feet away from him, holding the golden feather in its beak, staring at Jack. They stood there for a couple of seconds. Jack could see the pleading and worry deep in its black eyes. No, wait: _blue _and _purple _eyes. Jack's jaw dropped. "_Baby Tooth_?"

She dropped the feather and flew into his neck, snuggling against his cool skin. He stumbled backwards, more out of shock than out of impact, then hesitantly raised his hand, and gave Baby Tooth-now-turned-hummingbird a few pats. His eyes flickered over to the hovering hummingbirds. "And you guys are the rest of the tooth fairies," he realized.

"Wait, what?" Bunny demanded.

Jack turned to him, his eyes wide. "Pitch did something to Tooth. I don't know what, but whatever he did, it affected them, too. It turned them into...hummingbirds," he finished, gesturing helplessly at them.

"But what could he have done to her?" North inquired.

Jack shook his head. "I don't know." He glanced at Baby Tooth, who was perched on his shoulder, looking back at him solemnly. "Did Pitch come here?" he asked. Instead of replying, she flew off of his shoulder started to fly up to one of the towers. "Come on!" he exclaimed to the others before flying after her. Sandy and Bunny immediately ran after him, but North only sighed and leaned against the sleigh. When Jack's feet touched the top plaza of the tower, he glanced over his shoulder to make sure the others were following him, and saw North still on the bridge. "North! Aren't you coming?" he called.

North shook his head. "I'm getting to old for all this! Just-Just tell me what you see!"

"Okay!" He turned back around as Bunny and the sandman came up on each of his sides. He looked around for Baby Tooth, then spotted her perched on one of the ledges on the far end. He hurried over to her and saw that she was sitting on a roll of parchment, bound up with a silk black ribbon. When he reached them, she hopped back on to his shoulder. Jack flinched; the prickly feel of tiny claws that reached through his jacket and pricked at his skin was a lot more uncomfortable than the usual feeling of two tiny feet on him. For a second, he felt pity and sorrow for the tooth fairies. To have been demoted to natural creatures of the human world... He shook it off, and reached up on to the ledge to grab it.

"Mate, I didn't know you had a belt," Bunny said from behind him. He ignored him and snagged one of the bunny loops on his pinky finger and dragged it down into his hands.

"What is going on?!" North called from below.

"There's a note! Or letter! Thingy!"

"What does it say?!" Jack pulled the string and the parchment- which felt centuries old in his hands- rolled open , revealing lacy black ink that curled into words. He squinted at the paper, his eyes quickly scanning the lines. "Jack!" North shouted impatiently. Jack didn't answer him; the paper slid out of his fingers and fluttered to the ground.

"Jack?" Bunny hopped next to him. "Jack, mate, what does it say?"

He blinked, his hands still frozen in front of him. "It's an invitation," he whispered.

"To what?" he demanded.

Jack turned to face him slowly, every muscle in his body tensed, as he looked up to meet his eyes. Bunny was suddenly reminded of when they had first confronted Jack, out in the snow, and they had mentioned Pitch's name. The same amount of fear and terror and pain was in his eyes. That look that everything in their world might be destroyed, or crushed. They sent shivers down the rabbit's back. When he spoke, his voice was hollow, as if he was somewhere else, far away, where things like this would never happen. "To Tooth's burning at the stake."

One of the hummingbirds fainted.

* * *

**_Come to the 2nd Coming of_**  
**_The Ending of_** The Hunchback of Notre Dame**!**

**_This Is No Fairytale, Though!  
This is THE REAL DEAL!_**

**_Esmeralda- Toothiana  
Judge Claude Frollo- Pitch Black  
Quasimodo- Jack Frost_**

**_Tomorrow at 7 o'clock P.M  
At  
Hohenzollern Castle!_**

**_Don't you miss it!_**  
**_This will be the event of a lifetime!_**

"We know that she's still alive, though, right?" North asked for the third time.

They had regrouped back at the sleigh to tell North what was happening, or, rather, Bunny did. Sandy taking a stress-induced nap in the sleigh and Jack was too shaken to say anything, and had been made by the phooka to sit down by the pond by the mural with the former-tooth fairies.

Bunny nodded. "She's still alive. But not for long. The execution is tomorrow. We have twelve hours to find her."

"But it says where it's happening right here!" North protested, pointing a thick finger at the paper. "Hohenzollern Castle! That is where he is burning her, that is probably where he is keeping her!"

"I know-" Bunny began to shout, then caught himself. He began to speak in a lower voice, barely loud enough for Jack to hear. "I _know _that. But I've been thinking about this. Pitch just _happens _to leave the invitation here, knowing that we'll probably come here, then go straight to Hohenzollern Castle to search for her?" He shook his head. "He knows us, mate. He knows how we think, how we act."

"What are you saying?"

"I think this might be a trap."

Jack stopped listening after that. He doubt he could bear anymore of the angst. He stared at the mural, which was already beginning to erode away, from the tooth fairies not being able to go out and collect teeth. Baby Tooth, who was still perched on his shoulder, whimpered as she saw the decay wearing away at the painting. "I know," Jack sighed, reaching up and caressing one side of her bird body. She was trembling underneath her feathers. "It'll be okay." But even to himself, his words sounded cold and empty to his ears, lifeless. Even he wouldn't of believed him. _What would it be a trap for? _he wondered. _What could Pitch gain from killing Tooth? Except taking away good memories. _

_And hurting me_.

He flinched at the thought. Pitch was well aware of Jack's affection for her, and he even suspected that the boogeyman might be jealous of her. Certainly his tale of how he had defiled her had been to scar his view of her, which had worked, though he never let it show. And there had been a couple times were he had been whipped as Pitch went on and on about all of Tooth's faults and flaws, as if trying to make Jack see that he would be better off alone than with her. Jack was also well aware that the pain of his refusal to join Pitch all those months ago had hurt him deeper than he had originally thought. As if it was a...a betrayal than a refusal. As if Pitch had believed that they had already been together. _You have some sick, strange obsession with him. _Tooth's voice floated into his mind, though he didn't recall her ever saying that to Pitch. Maybe when Pitch had captured her...

But that was ridiculous. The idea Pitch was doing this simply for the sake of hurting Jack was absurd. The whole idea that it was a trap was absurd. In _The Hunchback of Notre__ Dame_, Frollo had killed Esmeralda because was crazy in lust with her. Not because he wanted to hurt Quasimodo. And how were they to know if Pitch was actually that intelligent and knowledgeable about the Guardians to anticipate their every move? Maybe Pitch just got careless, and had forgotten that the Guardians might be smart enough to suspect that she was there. Or she wasn't there, and that's why he had put the location of the execution.

"What'd you say, mate?"

Jack realized he had spoken out loud. _Can't turn back now, _he thought, and scooted around to face him. "I'm saying that we don't know what will happen if we go to Hohenzollern Castle. I mean, how do we know that Pitch is keeping her there? Or that he's smart enough to try and lure us there with the invitation? How do we know that he hasn't sent the same thing to other spirits, to show his victory against the Guardians, and just dropped it here by mistake?"

Before they could answer, a bright shower of sparks erupted out of nowhere in the small space in between Jack and North and Bunny. Jack leaped to his feet, his staff ready in hands, prepared to attack. Bunny pulled out his boomerangs and North drew his swords, positioned in a fighting stance. But the sparks fell to the ground harmlessly around another small roll of paper, though this one was red. They all glanced at each other. Bunny was the first to speak. "Should we open it?"

North hesitated, then stooped down and snatched the note up from the ground and unrolled it. As he read the letter, his face began to relax. "It is only from Uncle Sam. He says that he got message, too, and is demanding for what is going on."

"See?" Jack couldn't help it.

"That doesn't mean anything," Bunny growled. "It could still be a trap!"

Jack's temper flared. "A bunch of things could be a trap, Bunny! He could be planning one back at the North Pole, or about to attack us right now!" he shouted. Baby Tooth covered her eyes with one wing, chirping uneasily. "It doesn't matter! None of that does! Tooth is missing and this-" he waved the pamphlet in their faces "- is our only lead. We can't gamble with her life like that, thinking that it's a trap and letting her be burned to death!"

"In that case, why can we not just save her before she is burned?" North questioned.

Jack snorted. "Do you really think that he'll just let us waltz into Hohenzollern Castle and pluck her from her pyre?"

"And do you think Pitch is stupid enough to think that we won't check the castle, mate?" Bunny challenged.

He met his eyes evenly. "I'd rather believe that, then believe that there is nothing we can do for Tooth."

Bunny, for once, seemed at a loss for words. "Alright," he said finally. "Fine. We'll go to Hohenzollern Castle." He frowned. "Where is that, exactly?"

"Germany," North and Jack said at the same time. Everybody turned to look at Jack in surprise; even Sandy pulled himself out of the sleigh to blearily stare at Jack. "How did you know that?" North asked in amazement.

He shrugged. "My mom told me stories about it, said that it had been one of the most beautiful castles in all of Europe, and housed the most finest German emperors and kings. But then it had been destroyed in 1423, and now only the chapel from the original kingdom remains. Then it was rebuilt by King Friedrich Wilhelm IV from Prussia and his cousin in 1842, and wasn't completed until 1850, though an earthquake in 1987 made it have to undergo more reconstruction until sometime in the nineties, and now they're still undergoing repairs until February. It's beautiful there now," he added. "There's huge towers and little roads that lead through the and this huge plaza, too. And you should see its library, it is AMAZING there. There are so many books and the murals there are just beautiful. They only use it as a showpiece nowadays, since the last true Prussian heir to the castle died in 1951. So now two thirds of it is owned by the Brandenberg-Prussian line and the rest by the Swabian line, but the only thing they use it for is as a showpiece."

Jack never knew that silence could be so _loud_; they were all staring at him with shocked, almost awed looks on their faces. "How do you _know _all of that?" Bunny exclaimed.

"I've spent three hundred years alone with nothing to do except freeze things. What would _you _do if you were bored?" he demanded, though secretly he enjoyed the fact that he had been able to surprise them so powerfully. "Anyway, it makes sense, it being in Germany. Didn't Pitch's old territory used to be places in Europe back in the Dark Ages, like France and England? He was probably really powerful in Germany, too." He shrugged. "It just made sense."

"Right..." Bunny was still looking at him as if he had grown a second head.

He rolled his eyes. "Are we going, now?"

"Yeah. Um, yep, let's go."

Baby Tooth tweeted eagerly as she started to zoom towards the sleigh. Jack quickly caught her by the tail and gently yanked her backwards. "No, Baby Tooth. You can't come with us. You could get hurt." She tweeted indignantly. "No, you need to stay here with the other tooth fairies," he said sternly as he walked over to the sleigh with the others, wiggling his finger at her. "And I don't want to see you flying after us, either." He could have sworn she rolled her eyes, but she turned around and joined the other hummingbirds. "You guys be good, okay?" he called as he hopped on to the back of the sleigh, gripping the edge with one hand. "Next time we come here, we'll be back with Tooth!" he promise. North whipped the reins, and the reindeer started to charge. Baby Tooth gave a loud tweet that clearly said, _You promise? _"I promise!" he called as the sleigh pulled up into the sky. The rest of the former-fairies began to twitter as a cheer.

"You know, you shouldn't have told them that," Bunny said when he climbed into the sleigh, furrowing his eyebrows at him.

He frowned. "Why not? We'll get her back."

"You don't know that."

"Well aren't you just a little ray of sunshine," Jack said sarcastically.

Bunny shook his head. "Never mind. Forget I ever said anything."

"Done and done." But Jack couldn't ignore the fear and doubt gnawing at the pit of his stomach. And the damn feeling wouldn't go away the entire ride.

* * *

"Is this the place, mate?" Bunny asked as the sleigh slid smoothly into the central courtyard.

"Yep." He nodded as he looked around, the stone walls and designs of the cobbled ground familiar to him. "This is the place." Jack looked up at the huge towers that surrounded them, the spiral tops and the medieval parapets shining from the setting sun. The sky was surprisingly clear for a winter's day, and the sky was tinged pink and orange from the sunset. But despite the welcoming sky and looks, the castle seemed...dark. He immediately knew that Pitch had been there. He had visited the castle- about four or five decades ago- and it ha seemed full of light and magic, the castle that you could find in fairytales and stories. But now, it more closely resembled the dark towers that princesses had been locked up in.

"He's here," he told the others as he swung himself out of the sleigh, his staff positioned readily in his hands. "I can feel it."

"Well, I would of thought that the invitation and the Nightmares that we saw on the way here would be evidence enough, but I guess that pit feeling in your stomach helps, too," Bunny said sarcastically as he hopped out of the sleigh after him. He glanced around, then shivered. "But I know what you mean."

"Can you feel Tooth?" Jack asked, turning to him.

"What?"

"You said that you could tell when Tooth was in trouble. Can you feel her now?"

"Mate, that was the first time that's happened to me. I don't know how to _control _it or anything. I'm not some tooth fairy radar," he protested indignantly, then shivered again and wrapped his arms around himself.

"Okay, the castle _may _look frightening, but it is not _that _terrifying!" North put in as he walked towards him.

"It's not that, mate. It's freezing!" He shuddered again, and held himself tighter. Then he glared at the other Guardians, who were oblivious to the cold weather. Jack was technically a part of the winter North was swaddled in thick, wool coats, and Sandy was, well...He was made of sand. Sand didn't get cold.

Jack rolled his eyes. "Come on, we have to find Tooth."

"But this place is huge!" he protested. "How are we supposed to find her before tomorrow?"

He shrugged. "Like in every other cliché search story. We split up."

"Of course. Choose the WORST possible decision. That'll help," he said sarcastically.

Jack ignored him. "Sandy, you take the chapel and the keep. North, you take all of the towers in that direction." He pointed down one path, then swung it towards the path opposite of the other. "Bunny, you take that way. I'll check these." He jabbed his thumb over his shoulder at the set of towers behind him. "Oh, and guys. Start from the top, then make your way towards the bottom."

"What for?" North inquired.

He grinned. "Because the princess is always in the highest room in the tallest tower."

"Then we've got our work cut out for us, mate. You have the tallest one," Bunny pointed out.

"Just in case. Okay, let's go!" He turned and crouched down, ready to spring, when Bunny shouted. He groaned as he stood up and turned back to the rabbit.

"Wait! Shouldn't we come up with some type of signal in case we find her?"

"Hmm, how about, 'Hey, guys! I found her!'" he said sarcastically.

"Right, point taken. Good luck." He nodded to the other Guardians before disappearing down his designated path. North waved farewell before jogging down the dark alley. To Jack's surprise, Sandy gave Jack a quick hug around the middle, squeezing him tightly. Jack felt his cheeks cool when the sandman pulled back, but gave him a small smile which he easily returned. Then Sandy waved at him before floating up on a golden cloud out the central plaza.

Jack watched him disappear over one of the parapet walks before he turned back to the main tower. He crouched down in a spring, then leapt up into the air towards the top of the spire. He soared past the first window, then the second, then third, then he had passed so many windows that he had lost count, then finally reached the final window underneath the spire. He grabbed on to the top of the tapering conical with the crook of his staff, and swung downwards to the window. He frowned at the bars that criss-crossed over the stained-glass pane. He could see a slide that would unlock it from the outside, the top that kept it from being pushed out missing. He tried to reach it, but the bars proved to be a problem, he realized, after trying to stick his hand through them. The space between each was narrow, leaving him little space to stick his arm through and unlock the window. It was barely big enough for a stick. _Wait a second..._

He glanced up at his staff, then made sure his hand was gripping the bar tightly, then slid his staff from around the top of the spire, flipped it around, and stuck the bottom of it through. It slid through as if the bars were made of butter. He almost cheered for joy. _No, not yet. We still have to get through, _he reminded himself. Adjusting his grip on the staff, he started to wiggle it until it hit the bottom of the metal slide. He started to jostle it upwards, out of its metal casing. Without a warning, it slipped past the top of his staff, back towards the casing. Instinctively, he flexed his arm just enough so that the metal bar was pinned against the case and his staff. _Need to be more careful, _he thought, then started to wriggle it back up.

It almost slipped a few times, but finally he had managed to jostle it out of the case. It fell below with a loud clatter. He winced at the noise, but eagerly grabbed at the bars and pulled at it. The bar case swung open listlessly to the side, and he was faced with the stained glass. "I've always wanted to do this." He kissed his knuckles, then swung his fist at the glass. At impact, the glass came apart to form a small hole. He grabbed the top ledge and swung backwards before leaping through the window feet-first.

He landed in a crouch, his staff swung behind his back. _Man, I look cool, _he thought to himself as he peered into the dark room. Then dust started to land on to his nose. He wrinkled it as he stood up straight, then sneezed violently. There was a sudden shuffling sound somewhere in the back of the room; two recognizable amethyst orbs shone through the darkness. Two _frighteningly _recognizable amethyst eyes. A hoarse, but familiar voice croaked his name. "Jack?"

He felt his blood freeze. Hardly daring to breathe, he whispered, "Tooth?" The eyes only blinked again, and that was enough for him. He launched himself at her, his arms immediately going around her waist and pulling her close to him. _That was easy, _he thought, though he was about to be proved wrong.

"No, Jack-!" Her hands scrabbled against his chest, desperately trying to push him away. The shackles that went around her wrists and chained her to the wall jangled loudly as she fought against him. "Get out of here! It's a trap!"

"Tooth, what are you-" He broke off as he realized that he wasn't holding a feathered body. Where his hands were curled around her wrists, instead of feeling more feathers, he felt only skin. Underneath his clothes, he could only feel another layer of it and a solid body, instead of where the fairy was. He took a step back, though he was still holding her, and squinted in the dim light. Then he took another step back, this time releasing her, a mask of horror on his face.

"Jack, don't," she moaned, covering her face with her arms. But it was too late; instead of seeing a half-human, half-hummingbird, there was a fully human girl in her place. She had Tooth's narrow face with the small sharp nose and slanted-shaped amethyst eyes. But the feathers that started at the bridge of her nose and went over the slope of her eyes were gone, to be replaced with tan skin and black eyebrows. Raven black hair tumbled down in curls on the sides of her face, held out of the way by a purple headband except for bangs that dangled just around her eyes. She was wearing a white top with a gold and teal bodice, and a purple sarong hung from her white petticoat. The more he stared at her, he realized that she was an exact copy of Esmeralda from The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Disney version. Down to the way her hair was tied up to the gold bangles on her wrists and ankles and golden hoop earrings. _Oh no..._

Pitch was really going to do this. He was really going to replicate the final events of _The Hunchback of Notre__ Dame_.

"Tooth, what did he do to you?" he whispered.

"He-He injected me with something, I don't know what, but you _have _to get out of here! Pitch is-"

"No, Tooth! I'm not going to leave you!" he said fiercely. "We just need to get you out and-"

Without a warning, a sharp pain hit his side. He immediately crumpled to the ground away from Tooth on to his back. "Jack!" she cried, and he faintly heard her yank against her chains as she attempted to reach him. He screamed out as he felt something hotter than the sun burn through his veins. The world spun like a top around him, and he could hear his blood roaring in his ears. He flailed his arms around, then his hand closed on something stuck into his back. With strength he didn't even know he still had, he ripped it out. It hurtled across the room and shattered into dozen of little glass pieces against the wall. But it was too late. He felt as it he was being burned alive, that he was in somewhere ten times hotter than the Sahara, or the sun, or any star in the sky. He felt like he was dying.

"Jack!" Tooth screamed.

"Too late," an all-too familiar voice that still managed to send shivers up his spine and chill him to his very core, despite the fire that was raging inside of his body. Jack blinked open his eyes, and even that simple gesture made him gasp for breath. But he _had _to see, see if his worst nightmare was really here. Pitch Black was standing on the other side of the room by the door, leaning against the frame, his eyes glittering with amusement. "Why Jack, your eyes are brown. I never knew."

Using what little strength he had, he pushed himself upright and glared at him. Sweat was beginning to drip into his eyes and lump his hair together, and he reached up to push his bangs out the way. Just when his hand touched his hair, accidentally sweeping it into his eyes, he froze. Mixed with the snowy white were strands of brown, which were quickly becoming more and more prominent. His face snapped towards Tooth, but she only shook her head, tears streaming down her face as the last strands of Jack's white hair turned brown. The shock proved too much for him, and he fell back on to his back. "You...bastard," he gasped as he rolled on to his side.

His yellow eyes sparked. "There's that fire I was looking for," he purred.

"What...have you...done?" he panted.

"I assume you're talking about Tooth. Well, I made her dreams come true. I made her human. I guess that the guilt of the being the reason her parents were killed proved too much for her. And it isn't that hard, actually, to revert a spirit back to their original form. Well, at least for a Guardian. Just take a part of them. A feather," he said, nodding to Tooth, who was trembling in the corner. "Or some of their blood. I must say, it was hard to hold back on that once," he chuckled, clearly referring to all those times he had made Jack's blood spill on to the floor. Then his eyes grew hard. "Or a bit of their hair. Or a tuft of their fur. Or simply...a bit of their sand." Pitch, with a devious smile on his face, stepped away from the doorway as a Nightmare marched in, leading in three slumped, chained, defeated figures.

Jack's eyes grew wide with horror when he recognized them. But they had changed; North was hunched over, panting as he fought to stay on his feet. A short, round man waddled in after him in a tan tunic and unruly yellow hair, someone who could only be the former sandman. Then came in Bunny. Bunny had been reduced back to his small form, shivering, his gaze darting fearfully around the room.

"No," Jack choked.

"Yes," he grinned. "This was so easy! I can't imagine why I didn't do this years ago!" he exclaimed. "Oh, wait; yes I do." He stooped down and seized Jack by the hair and yanked him upwards, making him scream out in pain. He ignored him, and hissed into his face, "_Thank_ you, Jack, for being so _helpless _and _foolish _enough for me to come in and destroy the Guardians. I mean, I couldn't have done it without you. _You _lowered their defenses, _you _let me come in and take the tooth fairy, _you're _the one who brought them here, all just to fall into my grasp. I would have never been able to do this on my own," he chuckled.

The realization and the horror and shame flooded back to Jack in waves, in floods. Pitch was right; he led them right into Pitch's hands, from when he told them to leave for Christmas to when he demanded that they go to the castle. He felt the back of his eyes burn with the pressure of tears. _It's all my fault._ He squeezed them shut, trying to hold them back. _I do make a mess of everything._ A single tear made it past his eyelids, and rolled down his cheek. "I'm so sorry," he whispered.

"Touching. Take them to the dungeon," he snapped, jerking his head at the former-Guardians. "And take him with you." He threw Jack at the Nightmares, one who caught him by his hoodie. He didn't even bother trying to stand up; what was the point? He was too weak to do anything, and would only make things worse if he tried. "Aww, look." Jack raised his head to see Pitch holding his staff, which wasn't covered in a thick layer of patterned ice. It was dripping with melted water that fell silently on to the floor. "Your poor staff," he mocked. "You know, I think I'll just keep it this time. Would make as a good ornament to hand up on the wall. Wouldn't you say, Jack?" When he didn't reply, he only shrugged, and made a shooing motion with his hands at the Nightmares. "You may go. I need to get our Esmeralda ready," he purred, turning to Tooth, was scrabbling against the wall in terror.

"No, don't!" Jack cried as the Nightmare dragged him backwards, finally beginning to struggle against it.

Pitch glanced over his shoulder at Jack, then grinned. "It's already done," he said softly.

* * *

Did you guys catch that reference? The one from The Call? Really good movie, I totally recommend it, not scary at all. :

But I hope you guys enjoyed, and I will hopefully have the next chapter up before the end of April. I hope.

Review!


	24. The Guardian of Hohenzollern Castle

Okay, just a few things before to read before you start the story(if you don't care, then just skip please, don't patronize):

-Shout out to Raven: you're a Harry Potter fan AND a How To Train Your Dragon fan? I like you already! :D

-To anybody who stayed after the end of ROTG to see if there were any scenes after the credits, did you guys see a scene where Tooth tripped over something and fell into Jack's arms? I thought that was in there, and would be in the DVD, but it's not. I'm confused. :-(

-You know, I never realized that Jack's eyes change colour until I got the DVD on Blu-ray. They turn from ice blue to an almost grass-green. But I don't care! They're beautiful either way! :D

-I never really did go into detail about the whole Atlantean thing. Just brought it into the story, then left it out. I apologize.

-I probably should have explained this long before, this being the second-to-last chapter and all, but Bunny is(about to become was) jealous of Jack because he knew that Tooth liked him and not Bunny, even though he has a girlfriend, but he wants her to be happy and he knows that Jack is the best candidate for that. And also he'd like to see Jack happy, too, though he'd never admit it.

-I had an idea, a few weeks ago, that Pitch made Nightmares out of adults' dreams, too, and that each of them took after the nature of each person's nightmare. So most would be blood-thirsty, probably chaotic and emotionless except for fear. But then there would be the few exceptions, like the ones where a mother's worst nightmare is the aftermath of losing her child. So one of the Nightmares would be almost like a sad mother who lost her child. You'll see her very soon. Just wanted you to know her story.

Anyway, happy reading! :D

* * *

Jackson Overland had never been in a worse situation.

To say that things were bad was an understatement. It possibly couldn't get any worse. All of the Guardians had been captured by Pitch, rendered back to their human form, and Pitch was going to kill all of them, starting with Tooth. Actually, Jack hadn't ruled out that he was going to kill _him _yet; if he didn't, he would kept as a sort of sick play thing for Pitch. He shuddered when he recalled the _last_ time Pitch had him in his grasp, and drew his knees closer to his chest.

Pitch had decided that it would be fitting to have Jack locked up in the main bailey in front of the main plaza, opposite of Tooth's tower, so that he could hear all of the construction going on outside as they built Tooth's funeral pyre. The sounds of sawing and hacking as they constructed. The noises were like nails on a chalkboard to his ears, knowing that as soon as they were done, Tooth would be led to be burned at the stake, giving him morbid thoughts and visions. The noise blasted into his ears, but he had given up trying to cover them long ago to block out the sound. _What was the point? _he thought dejectedly. If he knew Pitch, he was going to drag all of the Guardians out on to the parapet walk, chain them to the pillars, and make them watch every single second of her burning.

_No, don't think about that, don't think about that, _he thought. _Something happy, something happy. _But all of his happy memories had been brutally tainted one way or another. Instead, he tried to concentrate on how different he felt, now that he was human. The brown hair that flickered into his eyes always gave him a quick shock, being used to white hair for so long. He could feel the cold now, as in actually feel it, though it wasn't as bad as he thought it would be. _Apparently I enjoyed the winter three centuries ago_, he realized when the cool breeze from the barred windows washed over his skin pleasantly. And he also felt comfortably warm underneath his sweater.

Despite all of this, though, he felt as if something was missing. He tried to figure out what it was. It wasn't that he felt _weaker- _he had repossessed his strengths after the after-effect of the injection- but he didn't feel as if he could leap over castles or hang on to the branch of a one-hundred foot oak tree by the edge of his toes. Which meant that when the Nightmares came, he wouldn't have enough strength to fight them off. If, by some miracle, he did manage to fend them off, he seriously doubted that he could manage to take on Pitch right afterwards.

A breeze from outside slid through the bars of the window and filled the room. Jack shivered when the cold hit his skin and curled up into a ball. It felt so weird, to draw away from the cold. He had _been _the cold, once upon a time. Then he began to wonder what it was like for the others, to be human again, or, at least, their old self. He had already seen Bunny and North powerless in April, and he already knew that Bunny _detested _it. Then Tooth, unable to fly, or be covered in soft, downy feathers. _It must be difficult, _he thought, _after being a fairy for a so long. _Then again, Sandy had been the Sandman for even longer. He was probably still struggling with the concept of not being able to float whenever he wanted to. Now that Jack thought about it, he was probably still trying to walk without the help of his sand powers. Jack attempted to amuse himself with the thought of Sandy still rolling around the ground like a football, unable to get on to his feet on his own. The image didn't make him laugh, but it did bring a small smile on to his face. Then he remembered his current predicament, and the smile was gone as fast as it came.

As his eyes slid over the room, about to close, he spotted a thin white ray of moonlight streaming in from outside. His heart leaped. _Man in the Moon. _Maybe there was still hope! His heart pounding fast, he unrolled himself and started to crawl towards the moonshine. The chains that bound his legs rattled as they were moved and stretched out. Just when he managed to reach the wall of the window, he felt something yank on his ankles. He glanced down and saw that the chains had reached the end of their extent. He grunted as he pushed himself on to his feet, then looked up in dismay to see that the window was still several inches above his head.

A fierce rush of determination rushed through him, and he stretched up on to the tips of his toes so that his eyes barely cleared the bottom of the window and clung on to the edge of the windowsill with both hands. The moon was full and round, as bright as the sun in the middle of the midnight sky. Jack cleared his throat, then began:

"Look, I know I haven't been the best Guardian. I know that all of the time I was Jack Frost, I was more concerned with _why _I was put here instead of focusing on what I should have been doing," he admitted, pushing his brown hair out of his face. "I constantly bothered you about it, not realizing that the answer was right in front of me the entire time. And I know that you had to pull _miracles_ just to get out of Pitch's lair, and I shouldn't ask you for anymore of them. But I have to." His voice cracked at the last sentence. He took a deep breath, then continued, "We're in trouble. Not just me, but Sandy, Tooth, North, and even Bunny. Pitch...I don't know what he did, but now we're all human. Well, except Bunny. He's, uh, well, um. He's turned into a-a Bunny. But Pitch is going to kill each of us, one by one, starting with Tooth. Tomorrow, she's going to be burned at the stake. And I don't think we can stop him," he finished softly, looking up at the moon.

The moon gazed coldly back, without a reply. Anger spread through Jack. "You know, I never asked for this," he hissed. "All of this, the spirits and magic. I would have been just as happy if you had left me in the bottom of the lake! You pulled me out of there, _you_ chose _me_. You chose each of us, whether we liked it or not. So you got us into this mess. Aren't you gonna get us out?" he asked desperately. Still no reply. "What was the point?" he shouted, his voice bouncing against the towers. "What was the point of saving me, of keeping us safe all this time, if you were just going to sit back and let us die in the end?"

An angry breeze blasted against Jack's spire, flooding into the room, so powerful that it knocked Jack off of his ledge and on to the ground. He cried out in pain when he was slammed against the ground with surprising force. It probably wouldn't of been so painful if he hadn't been human, but he was now, and it _hurt_. He winced as he sat back up, clutching his throbbing wrist, which he had thrown out to break his fall, and glanced up at the moon. It was no longer shining through the window, moving away from Jack's gaze.

Jack hung his head, biting his lip, trying to fight the tears that burned against the back of his eyelids. They finally spilled when the realization hit him, and it had hit him harder than the wind.

_We're going to die. And there's nothing we can do about it._

* * *

The rest of the day/night passed in a blur. Jack either spent it sleeping or staring at the wall blankly while rocking back and forth, trying not to think about what would happen as soon as the clock struck seven o'clock. His sleep brought him nothing productive, just passages that led him closer and closer to his internal destruction. Pitch's words kept on ringing in his ears, making him feel smaller and smaller. Each thought that passed through his head seemed to echo several times, as if to make extra sure Jack knew the truth of the words.

Thank _you, Jack, for being so_ helpless _and_ foolish _enough for me to come in and destroy the Guardians!_

You _lowered their defenses,_ you _let me come in and take the tooth fairy,_ you're _the one who brought them here, all just to fall into my grasp._

_One of your worst fears is that your affection for the little fairy will harm hurt her._

Pitch was going make his worst fear come true, he realized. How could he have been so stupid not to have seen the signs?! Bunny had known it straight from the beginning that it was a trap, a trap made just for Jack, because he was just that predictable. He was just that foolish and gullible.

All because of his affection for Tooth.

Tears streaming down from his eyes, he drew his knees under his chin and began to rock back and forth, shuddering breathes escaping from his mouth. It took him a while to realize that he was repeating words that he had been instructed to say by Pitch. It had been decades since then; it had been centuries. "I am deformed. And I am ugly. I am a monster. Only a monster. I am grateful. I am faithful. I'll stay in here..." The words consumed him, washing over him and drowning him beneath the waves until they were all that he was.

By the time the Nightmares had come for him, he was still rocking back and forth, muttering to himself, though he had long stopped crying. They stood there, unsure what to do, until one mare finally decided to go ahead and clasp the manacles around his wrists, but not before gently coaxing him to his feet, to the surprise of the others. But she only ignored their outraged neighs, and gently nudged Jack out of his prison and to where the other prisoners were waiting, on a parapet walk at the opposite end of the plaza. She gave him a final nudge, this one more affectionate than the rest, as she pushed him towards his friends, then flew down into the plaza with her fellow Nightmares.

He stumbled in to the space next left of Bunny, looking dazed. He stopped muttering, his eyes blinking in the harsh glow of the candlelight, finally realizing that he wasn't locking in his cell anymore. But the fight had been clean drained out of him, and the words, though he no longer said them, echoed in his head. Jack stared blankly ahead as he repeated them in his mind, not noticing Bunny or North's attempts to talk to him.

In the plaza was a wooden platform pressed against the tallest tower's base, raised a bit off of the ground. There was a huge wooden stake that rose out of the middle of it, surrounded by chunks of wood and iridescent feathers that closely matched Tooth's own, though significantly smaller. Before, this would have made Jack sick with worry for the former-tooth fairies, but now, he only stared dully at the Nightmare, this one in that shape of an executioner, who was wrapping chains in figure eights around his chest, arms, and legs before finishing the line by connecting it between two pillars, leaving him in a web of crisscrossing metal. Jack fell against the chains, letting his head loll to the side and closed his eyes. After the shadow had done the same to North and Sandy and shoved Bunny into a small metal cage, it vanished into a wisp, then reappeared by the stake.

"Horrifying, isn't it Jack?" The soft voice made the back of Jack's neck stand on end. He didn't have to open his eyes to see that Pitch was right in front of him. Whatever warmth that the frosty German night air hadn't stolen was now gone, leaving biting winds to nip at his nose. He could even feel his dark presence simply looming in front of him. "I mean, to be the absolute _destruction _of everything you love. Practically erases the fact that you saved one of your sisters from drowning. You really do make a mess of everything," he jeered. When Jack didn't reply, Pitch sighed dramatically. "Late at night, Toothiana wanted to have a final request."

The sound of Tooth's name finally lifted his head and opened his eyes. Pitch was standing a couple feet away from him, the tips of his toes dangling off of the edge of the parapet walk. He glanced over his shoulder, then fully faced him when he saw that he finally had Jack's attention. "She asked for me, me personally, to go to the North Pole and to go into your room to bestow upon you..." He reached into his robe and held out something small and dangling to Jack. "...this."

Jack stared. It was the Atlantean necklace that Tooth had gotten him for his birthday. The crystal pendant glowed faintly in the torchlight, almost resembling a small midday star. Pitch spread apart the woven silver string and lifted it over Jack's head before dropping it. The pendant banged against his chest a few times before swaying side to side, then eventually became still.

"Funny request, a necklace," Pitch mused.

"Yeah...funny," Jack repeated, not entirely listening to him, and didn't notice when he disappeared into the shadows. His mind was going haywire with all of the possible explanations for why Tooth had given him, out of all things, the necklace. _Was it a keepsake? Was it to see if I could call for help? _There seemed to be no answer. But then, a sudden cry distracted him from his thoughts. He glanced down at the plaza to see a sight to behold. Down below, hundreds of spirits were attempting to struggle past the Nightmares, who formed a solid line that prevent anyone from getting less than twenty yards closer to the stake. They voiced their outrage loudly, their shouts and cries easily reaching Jack's ears.

"This is blasphemy!"

"This is madness!"

"Toothiana has done nothing wrong!"

"Show yourself, Boogeyman! We will show you what happens when you mess with a Guardian!"

"Let Tooth go!"

Suddenly, one voice voice rose above the others, shaking the whole castle with its roar. "SILENCE!" Everyone fell into stunned silence as Pitch appeared by the stake, looking faintly annoyed. But when his eyes landed on the large ground that had gathered, a wide grin spread across his face, obviously delighted at the amount of people who had turned up to his _show_. "Friends, friends-!" he began, but a sphinx interrupted him.

"We are not your friends! You are evil and vile and we will never associate us with you!" she shouted. Yells of agreement rose up from the crowd.

Pitch ignored them, and yelled over the crowd. "I shall now present to you our _beloved _Esmeralda, Toothiana, Guardian of Memories!" He pointed at the grand double doors in the front of the building beside the platform. At his gesture, they swung open, slamming against the walls, revealing a shivering Tooth. Just like Esmeralda during her execution, she was wearing only her top and petticoat, leaving her in entirely white. Jack was suddenly back in Pitch's lair, chained to wall, forced to listen to one of Pitch's long sermons that he would often deliver when he worried that anymore brutal treatment that day would kill Jack.

_"The humans of this world are so ignorant, Jack!" Pitch was crying. "When I enter the shadows of churches, attempting to spark fear into the bride, I see her wearing all white! Now this wouldn't bother me, but then I go to a funeral, and they were all black! BLACK! _Tradition_, they call it," he sneered._

_"Well, shouldn't they?" Jack asked, only half-paying attention, more focused on one of his whiplash that itched terribly on his wrist.  
_

_"No, they shouldn't! They should be wearing white at the funeral, the idiots! White is the color of _death_! Honestly, I cannot how ignorant this world has become! They should be at least red, if not gold. Now _those _are the colors for love and eternal bonding. But _white_, the color of _death_, for a wedding, when it should be for a funeral? Black should only be used when the dead died in battle!" He whirled around to face Jack, his pale yellow eyes narrowed on the winter spirit. "Remember, Jack, that white is solely for the dead. The dead or to be dead." Then he grinned. "Perhaps I should dress you in white. You'd look good in it when I'm dumping your body in the woods." Jack rolled his eyes, ignoring the chill of fear that ran up his spine._

And now the words rang chillingly in his head. _The dead or to be dead._ Jack's eyes widened, and he felt her name build up his chest, and he opened his mouth, ready to cry her name. But as soon as his lips parted, the call died in his throat when he saw the fear in her eyes.

Thrown into the harsh light of the torches, she was trembling between two Nightmares that flanked her on each side. One gave her a harsh push, and she stumbled forward with a cry. She quickly caught herself before she could fall by throwing out her chained wrists against the wall beside her. The Nightmare on her right shoved her away from the wall, and she slipped a few more feet before regaining her balance. Jack saw something flash across her face, saw her gaze harden, her eyes narrow. She straightened her back and lifted her head, her chin tilted upwards, and began to stride down her designated path proudly, her head held high. "There ya go," Bunny muttered. Jack didn't say anything. He hungrily took in every last inch of her with his eyes, knowing that this was the last time he would get to see her, to commit every single detail of her to detail before they went up in smoke.

The Nightmares marched her up the steps of the platform, and led her to her funeral pyre, atop of the firewood and feathers. The executioner waved them away and began to tie her to the stake, wrapping thick, coarse rope around her already-bound wrists and the stake. This action made the crowd even more outraged, and they began to scream and shout for Tooth's release, straining against the line of Nightmares, threatening to break their ranks. Pitch tried to raise his voice above them again, but it seemed to be no use.

"You are cruel and wicked and Man in Moon should've have you killed centuries ago!"

"You will regret this day, Pitch Black! I swear it!"

"The Guardians will have your head for this!"

He laughed maniacally. "The _Guardians? _Take a look at the parapet walk behind you, and you will see what has become of the rest of the _Guardians!_" All eyes were suddenly on the four former-Guardians. Jack closed his eyes and tried to ignore the cries of disbelief and outrage that erupted from the crowd. "I have rendered them back to their original form, as useless and weak as before the Man in the Moon had even touched them! And has he lifted a single finger to help them? Is he doing it now?" He pointed at the full moon in the sky. "Man in Moon does not _care _about his Guardians! He does not care if they are burned to cinders, or if they are tortured and raped! Isn't that right, Jack?" he mocked.

Jack's open hands clenched into fists, but he didn't dare raise to Pitch's bait. It would only result in disaster. _Besides, _he thought, _he's right._ "Man in Moon cares for _nothing_," he continued savagely. You will watch and witness today that he sees them only as pawns, soldiers that are to be thrown away as soon as rendered useless! Man in Moon thinks of _nothing _of his Guardians! Or any of you!" He swept his arm at the crowd before him. They erupted in a clamor of abuse and unbelief. This time, the boogeyman could not silence them. Pitch gritted his teeth, then snapped his fingers. None of the Nightmares moved, but suddenly all of the spirits fell to the ground, screaming in agony and flailing around like a beached whale.

Jack didn't know how long they writhed in pain like that- it could have been a couple hours or only a few minutes. Finally, they ceased their Moby Dick impersonations, gasping for breath and wincing as they climbed back to their feet- or, whatever other extremities they had. "Thank you for your cooperation," Pitch said smoothly, though his eyes reflected the anger that burned inside of him. "May we begin now?" He didn't wait for a reply, and nodded to the executioner. The shadow reached to one of the torches hanging on the wall behind them, and gestured for Pitch to continue. Pitch cleared his throat, then began to speak. "The prisoner Esmeralda has been found guilty of the crime of witchcraft. The sentence: death!"

The words animated the crowd, and they began to voice their major discontent again, pushing against the Nightmares in a struggle to reach the former-tooth fairy. Tooth was beginning to struggle against her bounds, her long black hair falling into her eyes as she strained against the rope. Pitch jerked his head at the shadow-executioner, who handed him the torch, then leaned close to her. He was speaking softly, but his words still easily reach Jack's ears.

"You know, I believe this was how Rashmi and Haroom looked just before they died," Pitch was saying, his face twisted in manic glee. "Determined, strong, fierce. And utterly, _utterly_ hopeless." She glared at him, but refused to say anything. "Yet you still struggle. As did your parents fought to protect you. As you fought to protect Jack Frost, or should I call him Jackson Overland now? Like mother like daughter, I suppose," he sighed. He lifted a hand to caress her cheek, which she unsuccessfully ducked from. "But it was all in vain," he said softly. "Because I will have him, when you are dead and gone. Your presence will no longer distract him from realizing who he _truly _belongs with. What goes better than cold and dark?"

"You're insane," she spat.

He simply laughed mirthlessly. "He said the same thing. As did you parents when they faced the Monkey King and he told them of his plans. But there will be a difference between his attempt and mine." He caught her face in his long, thin fingers, and held her face to his. "This time, I intend to succeed. And his affection for you...will only be a thing of the past. He may not see it now, but he will eventually realize that his affection for a half-breed who obsessed over teeth was only a silly and stupid part of his old life. Any thoughts to that, hmm?"

Her reply was to spit in his face. His grin fell into a snarl as he wiped off the spittle off of his cheek. He stepped away from her and turned to the crowd, which had become deadly silent to hear Pitch's words to Toothiana. "The gypsy Esmeralda has refused to recant. This evil witch has put the soul of every citizen of Paris in mortal danger..."

North started to struggle against his chains, realizing that the end for Tooth was near. He noticed Jack hanging limply from his bounds. "Come on, Jack! Snap out of it!"

"Tooth is down there, mate!" Bunny shouted as he slammed himself into the sides of his cage.

Only one thought was in Jack's mind. "It's all my fault," he whispered.

"You gotta help us break these chains!" he cried. Sandy nodded his head eagerly in agreement.

"I can't. They're too strong. And what difference would it make?"

"But you cannot let Pitch win!" North cried.

Jack shook his head. "He already has."

Bunny stopped throwing himself at the walls and stared in disbelief at Jack. "So you're giving up? That's it? Look, mate, these chains aren't what's holding you back-"

"Leave me alone," Jack snarled, his face livid as he glared at them.

The rest of the Guardians blinked in surprise at Jack and the acid in his voice. He turned away from them, squeezing his eyes tight as he fought to hold in the tears of hopelessness and despair.

"Okay. Okay, mate. We'll leave you alone," Bunny said, shooting a quick glance at North and Sandy that Jack didn't catch.

North quickly caught on. "After all, we are only made of flesh and bone," he said heavily.

And then, for the first time in over three thousand years, Sanderson Mansnoozie spoke. "We just thought you were made of something stronger," he said in a high-pitched, wheezy voice. Jack's head whipped to the side in shock, but he had already turned to watch Tooth and Pitch, who was continuing to speak to the crowd about "Esmeralda's" crimes.

Jack turned his head back, staring at nothing in particular, thinking hard. The other Guardians had believed in him in times when he didn't even believe in himself, and those times had resurrected themselves more than he had preferred over the last month. But just like always, they had put their faith in him, and his fear of letting them down, of disappointing them, had always kept him fighting. That shouldn't change now. But what could he do? He wasn't Jack Frost anymore. He didn't have his ice powers or his staff, and even if he did, he didn't know how they could help him against the pounds of metal that weighed him down.

_Feel your powers, _a voice whispered in his head. _Let the memory, the sense and feel, run through your arms and legs. Remember._

Out of all the times that Jack had heard whispers of encouragement in his head, he had never heard this one before. It sounded...real. He ignored the uneasy feeling, and began to focus on what it told him. He closed his eyes and tried to block out the sounds of Pitch's speech and the noises that rose from the crowd. Suddenly, all of the noise was gone. _You're welcome._

Okay, that was new. The voices in his head had never had a personality before, much less a snarky attitude. _Focus, Jack, focus, _he thought, not noticing that his crystal pendant was glowing. He inhaled deeply, and let the memories rush through him. He could feel the currents that conducted the rushes of energy running through his chest and out through the palms of his hands, even a couple going to the flat of his feet. _Good. Now see if they're still there. If they are, check and see if they're empty. _If this was any other time, Jack would have started to doubt the voice's sanity, but the stakes were just too high to waste precious time. He took another deep breath, and internally reached out to the currents. To his surprise, he could actually feel them, as if they were wires in his body. They were smaller than they had been originally, he noticed, but they were still there, and they were empty. He opened his eyes in surprise.

_Good, good. Now, can you see me? _Out of the corner of his eye, he could see a pale, transparent figure hovering by him. It fluttered in front of him, and suddenly it became one of those moments where Jack wondered if he need glasses.

A female- her face was youthful, but there was something about the way she carried herself, proud and regal, and the glint in her eyes that made her seem much older than she appeared, giving her that ageless, timeless look- was standing less than two feet away from him, her eyes narrowed as she gazed at him. He stared in wonder at her. She was tall, about his height, with long, naturally wavy hair that reached her waist. Her face was a narrowed oval, similar to Jack's, with a small round nose and a large forehead. She was in a Roman evening gown with the single strap that stretched across a broad shoulder and a headband that kept her wild hair out of her narrowed face. Clad in weapons whose style was far older than Jack and the muscles that were easily visible, she looked terrifying and beautiful at the same time, despite her lack of color from her transparency. For a second, he wondered if it was Mother Nature- it wouldn't be the first time Pitch's daughter had intervened in one of her father's battle. But then his eyes fell upon the pendant that adorned the hollow of her throat that glowed just as brightly as his, and he knew that he was looking one of the long lost Atlanteans.

She bent down and leaned over in front of him and interlocked her fingers with his, staring into his eyes. He stared back. Framed by thick, long lashes, they seemed to be every color and no color. He could see blue and green irises, brown and black, hazel and gray, but made undetermined by her clear appearance. They sent chills up his back. He always thought of Atlanteans as the ones from the movie, Atlantis: The Lost Empire, as normal people but with a tribal upbringing. He had never imagined that Atlanteans could seem so...god-like. With her battle regalia and muscular biceps, she almost seemed like the goddess of war. Her lips, full and wide, began to move, but the words were spoken in his head. _Draw on my strength. Use my_ _powers. _

Jack nodded hesitantly, then curled his fingers around hers, shocked at how real they felt. As soft and plush as a lamb's leaf, but he could feel the strength behind them, the strength that could easily snap a man's neck in half. He shivered. Her eyes peered into his. _Don't be afraid. I'm here to help_.

He took a shuddering breath, and replied, "I know."

Bunny glanced over him, and saw him staring at something in the distance, a determined look in his eyes. "There ya go, Jack," he grinned. He didn't see the Atlantean in front of him, gently coaxing him on as he drew on her powers.

Jack groaned as he felt her energy flow into him. It felt...strange. He could feel traces of his own powers, to be able to wield over the weather and water, but there was something hot and savage mixed in with it, something controlled by anger and rage and could not be contained once released. He felt her amusement at his assessment of her powers, and glanced up to see her giving him a sly grin. _Is that how you see it? Well then..._she released him, then stood up and stepped back, regarding him with narrowed eyes. _Let's see how that works for you._

Suddenly, all the noise flooded back into his ears, and he blinked in surprise just in time to hear Pitch cry out, "It is my shameful duty to send this poor girl back where she belongs!" Jack saw it happen in slow-motion. As soon as the last words were out of his mouth, Pitch held out his arm over the kindle below Tooth, and his needle-thin fingers released the torch. It seemed to fall slowly, so slow Jack thought that Father Time had slowed it down, before it finally hit the feathers and firewood. Immediately, the stake went up in flames.

_Judex crederis,  
Judex crederis!_

"NO!" The scream ripped itself from Jack's throat as he threw himself against the chains, and before he knew it, things were blasting into pieces around him. Flashes of quick sparks burst around him, and the metal chains began to explode. He could feel ice landing on his cheeks, on his toes, sinking into the fabrics of his clothes.

_Libera me Domine.  
Libera me Domine de morte aeterna._

He looked around in confusion, then saw it happen a split-second before it happened. The Atlantean woman had both palms facing the chains, and the metal momentarily turned into water for just a split-second, then froze, and blasted into a million pieces.

_In die illa tremenda,  
_

He suddenly understood what was happening. _She's somehow turning the metal into water, and then letting me make it explode, _he thought. Inexplicably, another rush of white-hot fury burned through him, and he strained against the chains again as more and more of the metal began to explode around him. It expanded farther this time, making the ones that bound North and Sandy blow up into pieces. As the ones wrapped around the pillars started to burst, they blasted against the stones, creating cracks and blowing off pieces of it. White streaks began to appear in Jack's hair.

_Quando caeli movendi sunt._

The roof above them began to shake and tremble as more and more of the pillars began to weaken from Jack's ice blows. The remaining chains that were still held Jack back began to snap. He threw himself against the chains a final time, and the cords broke apart, bringing down two of pillars behind him with it. He stood up straight as the pillars crumbled behind him, feeling more free than he had ever felt before in his life.

_Caeli et terra,_

Jack glanced at the Atlantean, who was leaning against the railing of the parapet walk, a coil of rope and a Roman _pugio_ in her hand. She raised an eyebrow at him. _What are you waiting for? _"Nothing," he breathed, and snatched the rope and dagger out of her hand.

_Dum veneris judicare!_

"North!" he called, turning to the now freed old man, who was staring at him in wonder and astonishment, and tossed him the end of the rope. He caught it in surprise, then immediately understand, and went to tie it around one of the pillars. Jack didn't hesitate another second; clutching the rope tightly, he threw himself off of the ledge and down towards the burning stake.

_O, salutaris hostia,_

He swung down, his knees braced for the impact as he slammed into the wall feet-first. He glanced up to see Tooth writhing in the flames, still very much alive. _But not for long, _he thought.

_Quae caeli pandis ostium! _

Jack started to run against the wall towards her, a fire starting his legs, as he raced desperately towards her before pushing himself off the wall and swinging into the flames.

_Bella premunt hostilia,  
Da robur, fer auxilium!_

He landed squarely in the middle of the pyre with the same agility and grace that he had always possessed. More white streaks appeared in Jack's hair. But as soon as he stood up straight, he began to cough heavily as the smoke got into his nose and mouth, infiltrating his lungs. The heat from the flames seemed like it was on his skin, making him feel like it was him being burned alive. _Too hot! Too hot!_ The smoke got into his eyes, and they immediately began to water. He began to start hacking again, doubling over. _Come on!_ _Tooth needs you! _he shouted at himself. That sprung him into action. He whirled around to face her, who was leaning limply against the stake, unconscious from the smoke. He immediately slashed the dagger at the ropes that bound her hands and feet, and they came apart almost instantly; she fell forward, and he caught her in both arms. As he slung her over his shoulder, he glanced behind him to see several Nightmares snarling as they crept on to the platform.

_Sit sempiterna gloria!_

Quickly thinking, and running on pure instinct, he jumped forward and sliced one of the Nightmares down the middle with the dagger, then hopped neatly to the side as another one struck at him, and whirl around and brought the _pogio_ down upon its back. It threw its head back in a terrifying whinny as it crumpled into a pile of dark sand. As he dispatched another Nightmare, he faintly noticed that the flush to his skin was gone, leaving his hands pale white.

_Sit sempiterna gloria!  
_

Jack then caught hold of the swinging rope above him, and leaped out of the ring of fire, still holding Tooth over his shoulder. "Jack Frost!" Pitch cried in disbelief as he swung above him towards the opposite wall, his brown-and-white hair flipping in the wind. Jack ignored his outraged cry, and began to climb as soon as his feet hit the opposite wall. He scrambled up the rope, Tooth still held securely on his shoulder as the biting winds tore at them, snow beginning to fall from the sky. More and more white began to appear in his hair, and by the time he reached the top of the castle, his hair was as white as the snow that fell around them.

_Sit sempiterna gloria!  
Gloria, gloria semper..._

A sudden whim seized him as he climbed atop of the spire that overlooked the castle at the highest viewpoint, and before he knew it, he was holding Tooth above his head with both hands, his chrysalis blue eyes gazing triumphantly over the Hohenzollern Castle. A cry ripped itself out of his throat, and this time, he wasn't holding back. "Sanctuary!"

_Sanctus!_

"Sanctuary!" Jack Frost screamed again, thrusting Tooth's body into the air. The mob of spirits below cheered.

_Sanctus!_

"Sanctuary!" he screamed a final time, and they cheered again.

_In excelsis...!_

Jack lowered Tooth, breathing heavily. A heavy rush of adrenaline was pumping through him, making his feet curl and hair stand on end. He could feel his old ice powers rushing through his body, rejoicing in their return. His head was pounding, but his mind was clearer than the moor he gazed upon. His fingers and toes tingled with power. As he stared out across Mount Berg, he felt as if he could take on a whole horde of monsters and demons, to make the whole world be covered in snow and ice, even the area along the equator! Suddenly, a scream that was more animalistic than human snapped him out of his high.

Pitch, whose face was contorted in rage and fury, point a long finger at Jack atop of the tower, and shouted, "Get them!" The Nightmares neighed as they reared back, then began to charge towards them. Before they could even hit the wall of the castle, they seemed to collide into something in midair, making them veer away from Jack's spire. Even though he had no idea what was happening, Jack decided that inside was better than out. He hopped on to the edge of the roof and swung through the open window into the room.

It was small and cozy, with pale walls and cushy blue carpet. Jack looked around for somewhere to put her, then spotted a large palace four poster bed against the opposite end of the room. He quickly ran to it, and pushed the silk covers back before gently sliding her under the covers, adjusting her so that she laid down on her side, her head resting comfortably on the pillow. Just as he was about to turn and leave, he felt something grasp his wrist.

He whirled around to see Tooth gripping his arm, her eyes wide as they darted around the room before landing on Jack and filling with a mix of happiness and confusion. "Jack...you're back to normal," she croaked, her voice raspy from the smoke.

"And you will be, too," he promised, kneeling next to her. A fierce rush of protectiveness ran through him, and leaned over and embraced her tightly. "I'm so glad you're okay," he whispered as her arms immediately went around his neck.

"Me, too," she whispered in his ear, before pulling back for a split-second and kissing him fiercely. He immediately kissed her back, pulling her tight against him. Her palms, flat on either side of his head, stroked the sides of his face, streaking soot down his cheeks. He didn't care. He had come so close, _so close _to losing her. To have lost her to the flames that would have swallowed her up if he had been a second too late. To have lost her to Pitch, who seemed hell-bent on having Jack all to himself. His arms like vines around her waist pulled her closer as he thought this. He breathed in her scent when he buried his face into her neck, that smell of peppermint and chamomile that he had never really appreciated until now. _Now I know what it means, _he thought, _to appreciate something only until you have lost it._

_You're welcome. _The thought came, unbidden, into his mind, and he knew immediately who had thought it.

Jack opened his eyes to see the Atlantean watching him from the opposite side of the room by the window, watching him with smoky eyes. To his surprise, she looked more solid, seeing that her dress was a midnight blue and her hair as white as his own, both of which whipped around her with the wind, which should have made her look more intimidating. But she didn't look imposing or frightening now. In fact, she looked a bit awkward, as if not sure she should be there. She looked at him as if saying, _Do you want me to go or...?_

"Don't go," he said aloud without meaning to.

"I'm not," Tooth promised, although he hadn't been talking to her, and kissed his cheek in assurance.

_Bleh. Puppy love. Well, while you two sit here and cuddle..._she pulled out a long, sharp broadsword and grinned. I'll _be out there fighting. _Without warning, she leaped out of the window as if diving out off of a diving board. He jerked in surprise at her blunt nature, but held himself back from leaping after her. He stared after her, then shook his head and turned back to Tooth. "Okay, you need to rest."

"But I want to help," she protested as he laid her back into the pillows, her violet eyes searching his imploringly.

"You can help by resting," he said soothingly.

Suddenly, the door swung open, hitting the wall with a loud _bam!_ "Jack! Jack!" He whirled around to see, to his surprise, a restored North and golden Sandy and even 6"1 Bunny, running towards him out of the door.

"You guys are back to normal!" he exclaimed, standing up.

"As are you!" North cried, thumping him on the back. "You do not need potion after all!"

"Wait, what potion?" he demanded.

"We found Pitch's cauldron!" Bunny said excitedly. "It's in this room with hundreds- no, _thousands _of ingredients to make potions, with the help of this little lass!" He held up a small leather book proudly, and handed it to Jack. "He must have gotten it from a warlock, because the boogeyman ain't supposed to be able to make potions."

He glanced at him, then flipped it open, and began to read the first page he landed on. "'How to Take Away A Witch's Power, How to Bind A Warlock, How To Cast A Protective Shield," he read, scanning the page.

"We just used that one. It's temporary, but it'll hold fast against the Nightmares," North said, glancing out the window.

"Which one did Pitch use on us?"

Bunny snatched the book away from him, flipped through a couple pages, then gave it back to him. "There. 'How To Take Away A Guardian's Power'. He used a piece of us, along with the pulp of an angelica flower, shredded basil leaves that have cursed by a dark priest, yew wood that's been left out under the light of the new moon-"

"Okay, okay, but is there a way to reverse it?" Jack asked desperately. "For Tooth?"

"Yeah. The bloke left a batch just sitting on the table," Bunny snorted.

"But we used it," North said heavily, flashing an apologetic glance at her.

Jack groaned, slapping his face to the palm of his hand. "Okay, but you make more, right?"

"Yes, actually." Bunny leaned over Jack and read, "'To Restore A Guardian'. Just need three shakes of cinnamon bark, betony bark that's been in the light of the full moon- to counter the effects of the yew," he explained, "blessed bay laurel leaves, ash leaves that have been stewed in 'heaven's light', whatever that is, and a piece of the drinker. We throw all that into the bowl, stew it with ambrosia and nectar, stir counterclockwise for about ten minutes, and we have ourselves a cure!"

A sudden cracking noise made everybody jump. Bunny flew over to the window, then called, "Uh, North? They're starting to break through!"

North cursed in fluent Russian, then put two fingers in his mouth and whistled loudly. Two yetis peered in from out the door. Jack blinked in surprise. North, on the other hand, apparently, had known they were here, and snatched the book out his hands and thrust it into theirs. "Take this down to the potion room and make the remedy for Toothiana. Hurry!" They gibbered something unintelligible, then rushed out of the room.

There was another breaking sound, and North pulled out his swords. "Are you ready?" he asked. Sandy whipped out his golden dreamsand whips, and nodded. Bunny flipped his boomerang into his other hand, grinning. "Oh, and Jack!" North tossed something in the air. Jack recognized it immediately and caught it in both hands, marveling at the ice that suddenly crept along the wood of his staff. He grinned as he looked back up at him.

"Thanks, North." He then turned to Tooth, and bent down so that they were eye-to-eye. Her eyelids were drooping, though struggling to stay open. He gently caressed her cheek with his hand. "Be safe. Be strong. And don't get into trouble," he whispered, using the same words that she had said to him on Christmas Eve. Then, in front of all of the Guardians, leaned in and kissed her on the lips. It was a quick, peck on the lips, but it still wrought gasps out of North and Bunny, while Sandy cheered silently, his suspicions finally confirmed for the better.

He stood up straight and turned around and marched right past the Guardians, and began to jog down the stairs. Bunny was the first to catch up with him. "Hold on, hold on, what was that, Frostbite?" he demanded as they ran down the stairs, North and the Sandman panting a couple levels behind.

"Look, I know Tooth didn't want for me to tell you guys, but since I've already blown it, I might as well tell you." He came to an abrupt stop on the first floor they reached and turned to Bunny. "Tooth and I are in a relationship. Have been for over a week."

Bunny gaped at him. "And you didn't bother telling us?!" he screeched.

Jack shrugged. "Tooth didn't want me to say anything."

He groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger. "Crikey, mate. Why-"

"Look, we can talk about Tooth and Jack later! Right now, we need to defend the castle away from the-" North broke off as another cracking sound rang through the air, though this time much, _much_ louder than before. Everyone turned to the balcony and saw a large crack that ran through the air. The Nightmares were throwing themselves against the invisible shield with all their might, and Jack could already see the splintering cracks that ran from the main one. _There's no time to waste! Go!_

_There you are, _he thought recognizing the voice. But she was right; there was no time. He ran towards the balcony. "Do what you can to keep them from getting into the castle!" Jack yelled over his shoulder before leaping over the railing and into the air.

_Mors stupebit et natura,  
Cum resurget creatura,_

He aimed his staff at the Nightmares below, and out of the tip a blast of frost- a pure ray of ice and sleet- erupted, violently knocking them backwards and causing them to splatter against the ground and walls. He stumbled backwards in midair, surprised by the rush of energy, but the took aim again and shot another blast of ice, scattering the remaining Nightmares.

_Judicanti responsurra!_

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Pitch gritting his teeth at the sight of his fleeing Nightmares. "Come back here, you cowards!" he shouted.

_Judex ergo cum sedebit,_

When none listened to him, he pulled out one of his spiked daggers and flicked his hand. Several, no- dozens, shadowy figures appeared around him, their bodies formless and without shape or characteristics except for the dark gleam of the white eyes that just seemed to hang in a cloud of black smoke and fog. He pointed at the open doors of the castle and cried in a hoarse voice, "Attack!"

_Nil inultum remanebit!_

They began to hack at the shield with axes and hatchets. Without a warning, the area around the doors went up in a cloud of colorful purple and blue smoke. A boomerang swung through the air before slicing into two of the unsuspecting shadow-men. _Bunny_, Jack thought, grinning, as he held on to the top of the spire and watched the scene below. The rabbit darted past the coughing and distracted enemy, and leaped on to the top of the platform. "My fellow spirits!" he cried. "Pitch Black has persecuted our people, plagued our world with darkness and fear! Now he has declared war on Man in Moon himself!" He gestured to the round moon in the sky. "Will we allow it?!"

The answering roar was louder than any tiger or lion or sphinx could made. The spirits pushed a final time against the Nightmares, and this time, they broke through the line. They were a flood, breaking the patches that could not be held back. Using their own powers, they fought against the Nightmares, and the defensive line finally collapsed. Jack could see one in particular, fighting in Roman armor and weapons., slicing and dispatching four in just a blink of an eye before disappearing. The rest of the spirits didn't seem to notice their vanishing comrade. Together, they rushed towards Pitch Black, crying for vengeance.

_Quem patronum rogaturus  
__Cum vix justus sit securus?_

_I think the cavalry's here! _Jack whirled around to see the Atlantean grinning at him.

"Yeah, that's, um-"

_Cottontail? __Easter Kangaroo? _she suggested.

"Bunny!" he blurted.

_Great, you remembered his name. Now get down there! _she gave him a gentle, but forceful push. He swung off the top of the roof and slid down the edge of the castle before reaching the parapet walk, where North and the sandman were. Around them were huge blocks of golden sand. "Jack, help Sandy push these off!" North called as he tinkered with something metallic while the sandman shoved one over the railing. The shadow-men had resorted to scaling the wall, crawling up like huge, shadowy spiders. The block of dreamsand caught on on the wall of the shield, and slid downward, scraping off the shadow-men like how a sponge would to dirt on a bathtub. Jack set down his staff and immediately picked up one of the blocks and heaved it over. It slammed a group that was climbing together, knocking them clean off.

"It is done!" North exclaimed, holding up a HK21. Jack stared at the machine gun in his hands with whose bullets glistened golden sand. He didn't know North knew how to make guns! _Come on, if he can create a mobile ice train, what makes you think he can't make a gun?_ "Now, if I can just figure out how to use it," he mused.

Jack, on impulse, snatched the gun away from North, and balanced it in his hands. It was light, but sturdy. He propped it on to the railing, positioned his hands like how he had seen in the army, and braced his feet, ready for the recoil. He peered into the scope, took a deep breath, and pulled the trigger. Golden bullet flew out of the barrel at the speed of light. They tore through the remaining Nightmares who were desperately trying to escape the castle, and harmlessly bounced off of the fighting spirits. They ricocheted off the walls and hit the fleeing Nightmares. Where the bullets had hit them, bright lights streaked outwards from the epicenter and covered the whole body until they were entirely gold. A couple of them collapsed in a pile of dreamsand, but some mares kept their shape. Whinnying loudly and tossing their heads back, they charged at the shadow-men, who, despite their efforts, just seemed to grow more and more numerous.

Satisfied, he removed the gun from the ledge and handed it back to North. "Good job, Jack!" he exclaimed. "Now keep watch for us! Sandy and I have something _very _important to make!"

He frowned, but nodded, and leaped on to the railing, his eyes scanning below. Bunny seemed to be holding himself well, taking on two or three shadow-men at a time, trying to keep them from further opening the crack, which was steadily growing bigger and bigger as they hacked at it. He could hear North steadily pounding at something and the sandman forming his dreamsand. He was about to turn around to look and see what they were doing when he felt something cold wrap around his wrist. He glanced down to see a dark shadow curled around his arm just before it tugged on him. Jack cried out as it yanked him forward, over the ledge, through the shield and slamming him against the ground. Thinking quickly, he rolled to the side, and a hatchet was buried in the cobbled ground in the spot he had been in just seconds before.

Before the shadow-man could adjust his mistake, Jack leaped to his feet and slammed his heel into its face. He felt surprisingly solid, and flew backwards, right into the claws of a sphinx, who immediately tore it to shreds. "Thanks," he panted, rubbing the chaffed skin around his wrist. She nodded to him as she rustled her huge eagle wings, then took off into the sky.

Jack suddenly heard a large _rip!_ He whirled around to see the shadow-men creating another crack in the shield. He was about to leap forward to stop them when he heard a boisterous call from above him. "Ready! Aim! _стрелять!_" Jack glanced up just in time to see North and Sandy push something long and wide off of the parapet ledge...and falling straight towards him! Everybody underneath the growing shadow began to scream and attempted to run from under it. He dove out of the way and rolled back to his feet just as it crashed on to the ground a couple yards away from him. He squinted at it, then realized it was Tsar tank. He had read about the armored vehicle that had been used only for experiments in Russia, and knew that unless someone was manning the turrets and cannons, it was practically useless.

"You guys, that's not how it works!" he shouted at them. As soon as he finished his sentence, though, he heard a click, and instinct made him leap away just as the gunpowder inside ignited. The whole tank exploded, pieces of wood and metal flying out from the ablaze tank. The flames swallowed up most of the shadow-men by the door, and they wailed as the flames consumed them.

"Works for me!" North called from above, clutching his stomach as he laughed.

Jack grinned, then spotted Bunny attempting to fend off two shadow-men by the platform. His heart stopped when he saw one of the axes narrowly miss his rabbit ears, blocked only by a quick swipe of his boomerang. Before he knew it, the muscles in legs coiling, he was crouched down, then sprung at one of them, knocking it away from the Easter Bunny. As he had it pinned underneath him, his free hand scrabbled across the ground, searching for something to hit it with. His fingers closed around one of the metallic parts of the Tsar tank, and he brought down into its chest, staking it to the ground. It dissipated underneath him with a ghostly wail. He looked up just in time to see Bunny dispatch the other one and turn to him.

"Thanks, mate," he said, offering him a hand. Jack gratefully took it, and he pulled him to his feet. There was suddenly a snarling noise behind them; Jack and Bunny whirled around to see two panthers slinking on to the platform towards them, their black coats twinkling with nightmare sand. They hadn't seen Pitch desperately summon more and more nightmare creatures, to keep the spirits preoccupied. Behind them, Jack could see nightmare-evoked bears and tigers, and creatures that Jack could only describe later on as, 'the kind you would find the cellar of your basement'. "Stay calm," Bunny hisses, reaching for his boomerang.

"What do you mean, stay calm? I am calm!" he whispered.

"Keep your voice down!"

"They're right there! What, do you think we're invisible to them?"

"Why are you such a blowhard?" Bunny shot.

"берегись!" Without a warning, North landed in front of them in a perfect crouch before swinging at the two panthers with his swords. One was cleanly sliced in half, while the other howled in pain as its tail was cut off, and fled. North whirled around to the face the two, and wiggled his finger at them. "Now _what _have I told you two about playing nice?" he scolded.

Jack opened his mouth, about to answer, when he heard a loud twitter rise above the sounds of the battle. He turned his head to see an iridescent hummingbird with freckled dusting of gold on its back zooming towards him before landing on his shoulder, tweeting urgently. "Baby Tooth!" he exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

In reply, she took off of his shoulder and flew straight upwards. The wind picked him up and he flew after her. She didn't stop until she had reached the top of the tallest castle's spire. He clung to the ledge of the roof, struggling not to slip from the winds that whipped around, tearing his clothes and hair, and pulled himself on to the top, where she was tweeting eagerly. "What is it, Baby Tooth?" he asked. She pointed with her beak at something behind him. He glanced over his shoulder, then whirled around, his eyes widening.

A shimmering cloud of blue and green was rushing towards him, a chorus of angry chirps and tweets rising from it. He instantly recognized the battalion of hummingbirds. "Fly, my pretties! Fly! Fly!" he cried, waving his arm as they raced by him, feeling like the wicked witch from The Wizard of Oz. They then dove at the battle below. Jack watched in amazement as they pelted themselves against the nightmare creatures, attacking them viciously. They tore of chunks of sand twice their size with their beaks, their little claws ripping and slicing at the monsters. The creatures yowled and tried waving their arms- or tentacles or paws or tails- to fend off the attacking hummingbirds, but they were too small and fast to hit. While they were distracted by the former-fairies, the spirits below saw their chance, and began to strike upon them.

"Thanks, Baby Tooth, I owe you one," he told her as he began to climb back down, grinning. She buried her head in her chest, chirping modestly.

_Juste Judex ultionis  
Ante diem rationis. _

Suddenly, a shout from below distracted them. "Put your backs into it!" Pitch was yelling at the remaining shadow-men who were still pounding and clawing at the crack. It was now wide enough for a thin man to squeeze through. Jack's heart pounded in his chest. I_ can't let him get in! _he thought desperately. Pressing his feet flat against the wall, he pushed against the stone and flew on to the parapet walk positioned directly above them. He didn't notice North and the sandman pushing pots of oil set ablaze off of the balconies and began to flood the main plaza. Clinging on to the bars of the railing, he glanced down below, and was about to leap down atop of them when a wall of molten fire fell in front of him.

_Kyrie Eleison!_

The heat scorched his skin, seeming to set every nerve-ending on fire. It sent violent electric shocks up and down his body. The pain was too much, and he quickly scrambled over the railing to safety. He pressed his back against the wall, staring at the fire pouring down from above just a few yards away from him, breathing heavily. He didn't see Pitch slip into the crack just before the fire crashed down on to the plaza.

Suddenly, the balcony door slid open behind him, and he felt paws seize him by the armpits and haul him inside. Bunny deposited him on the soft carpet, and Jack rolled around in the soothing, cool texture, sighing blissfully at the cold wool. "Are you okay, mate?" Bunny asked worriedly, helping him sit up. He nodded, not trusting himself to speak.

North charged into the room, brimming with excitement. "We've got them on the run!" he exclaimed. "They are evacuating the castle as we speak!"

"Yeah, and you almost burnt Jack to a crisp!" he shouted, pointing at the limp body of the winter spirit.

He blinked. "What? I did? Jack, I am so sorry!"

"It's okay, I'm fine," Jack assured him as he climbed to his feet and brushed off the front of his slacks, trying to hide the fact that his legs were shaking. "So they're retreating?"

"Yep. We got them running for the hills!" Bunny said proudly. "And guess what the yetis just finished making?" Before Jack could guess, he tossed him something. Jack caught it in one hand, and held it up to the light so he could see it better. It was a clear glass vial, about the length of his palm, with a bright pink liquid sloshing inside.

He looked up at Bunny, a strange mixture of disbelief and hope on his face. "This will turn her back?" he whispered.

Bunnymund nodded. He stepped forward and clasped Jack on both shoulders, looking him in the eyes. "Take it to her. And when she turns back, stay with her. Keep her safe. Do you understand, mate?"

"Yes. I will," he promised, almost itching to take off. As soon as Bunny released him, he bolted towards the door.

"Wait, Jack! What about your staff?" North called, but he ignored him as he ran out. The only thing on his mind as he darted through the great halls towards Tooth's castle was the former-fairy. He flew across the lobby and jogged up the stairs to her room that seemed to be endless. But at last, he reached the top of the tower. Hardly daring to breathe, he threw open her door, and cried, "We've done it, Tooth, we've beaten them back!"

She lifted her head from the pillow, her eyes blinking sleepily, then brightening when she saw Jack. "You mean they've gone?"

"Yes! And we've got the potion to turn you back!" he said excitedly as he knelt beside her, holding up the vial.

Her eyes widened. "I'll turn back into a Guardian."

He nodded eagerly. "Just drink this, and you'll go back to normal." Tooth reached for the vial, and her fingers were about to close around the bottle when Jack felt something fly past his ear and hit the glass bottle he was holding. It narrowly missed his fingers, and flew until it buried itself all the way up to the hilt in Tooth's chest. She cried out in pain, clutching at the hilt, before her head fell back against the pillows, her eyes fluttering shut.

Jack stared in horror at the knife with the bone handle that protruded from the middle of her chest. It was the same one that had been stabbed into his own body so many times, slashed across his skin, ripped out chunks of his flesh, drawn across his back when he was being raped. It was the symbol that showed that he was always there, always watching, always ready to strike, to take away every Jack held dear.

And then he heard the voice.

"Hello, Jack."

* * *

Question: Who thinks I'm evil?

*Everyone raises their hand*

Well, I'm not surprised. But I had to do it at some point, and the chapter was getting too long. so you must wait for the next update, my lovelies! :D

*Insert evil laugh and cackle here*

Oh, and in case you're interested for the rough translations of the lyrics for _Sanctuary_, here they are!:

_Judex crederis esse venturus_ (Our Judge we believe shall come)  
_In te, Domine, speravi_ (In You, Lord, have I trusted)  
_Non confundar in aeternum_ (Let me not be damned for eternity)  
_Salvum fac populum tuum_ (Save Your people)  
_Judex crederis_ (In our Judge we believe)  
_Libera me Domine_ (Free me, Lord)  
_Libera me Domine de morte aeterna_ (Free me, Lord, from everlasting death)  
_In die illa tremenda_ (On that terrible day)  
_Quando caeli movendi sunt_ (When the heavens shall be moved)  
_Caeli et terra_ (The heavens and earth)  
_Dum veneris judicare_ (When Though shall come to judge the world)  
_O, salutaris hostia_ (Oh Savior, saving victim)  
_Quae caeli pandis ostium_ (Who opens the gate of heaven)  
_Bella premunt hostilia_ (Our enemies besiege us)  
_Da robur, fer auxilium_ (Give us strength, bring us aid)  
_Sit sempiterna gloria_ (May you always be praised)  
_Sit sempiterna gloria_ (May you always be praised)  
_Sit sempiterna gloria_ (May you always be praised)  
_Gloria, gloria semper_ (Glory, glory forever)  
_Sanctus, sanctus in excelsis_ (Holy, holy, in the highest)  
_Mors stupebit et natura_ (Death and nature shall be confounded)  
_Cum resurget creatura_ (When creation shall rise again)  
_Judicanti responsurra_ (To answer for judgment)  
_Judex ergo cum sedebit_ (Therefore, when the Judge will take his seat)  
_Nil inultum remanebit_ (Nothing shall remain unpunished)  
_Quem patronum rogaturus_ (To what protector shall I appeal)  
_Cum vix justus sit securus?_ (When scarcely the just man shall be secure?)  
_Juste Judex ultionis_ (Righteous Judge of vengeance)  
_Ante diem rationis_ (Before the day of r reckoning  
_Kyrie Eleison_ (Lord have mercy)


	25. The Guardian of Hohenzollern Castle II

Are you mad at me?

*Angry silence*

You guys are mad at me. ._.

I know! I know! I'm weeks late, and I'm sorry! It's just that I have been preparing for testing which is NEXT WEEK, and I wasn't anticipating the boatload of homework, then practice- You know what? That's not an excuse. I should have kept this chapter as my top priority. I left you guys in the dark with a terrible cliff-hanger, and it was my fault. And I'm terribly sorry. And I'm sorry that this is not the chapter you deserve, but the chapter you need(Did I use that right?).

Oh, and by the way, I was watching The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, and I suddenly imagined Jack saying, "For Atlantis! And for Simone!" in Atlantean. I think I smell a sequel coming on! Also, I just like the idea of Jack charging across the field, running, not flying, his eyes narrowed in concentration, and in slow-motion. Pardon my foul language, but that would sexy as shit. :3

Anyway, here is the gateway to the last chapter!

To your knowledge. :D

I own nothing.

* * *

"Wow, a perfect hit." Jack whirled around to see Pitch leaning against the frame of the door, smirking as he looked at the knife embedded in Tooth's chest.

"Jack," Tooth moaned, her hands clawing feebly at the hilt of the knife.

"It's okay, Tooth, it's okay," he said soothingly, turning around to her, trying not to let the hysteria that was bubbling in his stomach from exploding. He imagined throwing himself at Pitch, screaming and roaring like a deranged animal, ripping him apart piece by piece. A strong and powerful urge suddenly attacked him. _No! Tooth needs you! _he shouted at himself. Trying to ignore the trembling in his hands, he turned back to Tooth, trying to ignore Pitch. _Okay, okay. Breath, Jack, breath, _he thought. _First things first, first things first, um, uh..._

He struggled to remember what was the first thing you did when someone was impaled. Was he supposed to remove it? No, wait, check her breathing. To see if it hurt her lungs. He leaned his head down to her mouth, and exhaled a breath that he didn't even know he had been holding when he heard the raspy, but strong breathes. _Okay. Check if she's conscious._ "Tooth?" he whispered tentatively.

Her eyes fluttered open for a brief second, then closed again. "Yes?" she slipped his hand into hers in reply and squeezed it gently, unable to express his relief in words or thoughts.

"I suppose I must join the knife-thrower's club when this is all over. Would you like to join me, Jack?" Pitch interrupted. Jack ignored him, and tried to remember the next step. If he recalled correctly, he was supposed to leave it in, to prevent more blood loss and causing further injury. Even though the streams of red blood that dribbled down her chest, staining her white top gruesomely, made him want to rip it out, he knew that she would die quickly if he removed it.

_Take it out._

He blinked in surprise. _What?_

_Take it out, _the Atlantean said urgently. Jack lifted his head and looked around wildly, but she was nowhere in the room. Then again, he supposed that she didn't always have to be in the same room to speak to him. Her voice yelled at him again. _Just do it! Do it, or she'll die! It's poisoned! Take it out now!_

That got him moving. Without thinking, he leaned over and ripped the knife out of Tooth's chest. She arched her back in a scream as blood and something dark and sticky-looking spurted out of the wound. Jack stared at the black flecks mixed in with her blood. _I told you, _she said smugly. He ignored her, and returned his attention back to Tooth. She fell back against the pillows, breathing heavily, wincing. "I'm sorry," he whispered, and leaned over and gave her a tender kiss on her forehead.

"It's okay," she panted, then winced again.

_Patch it up! She's still bleeding! _A roll of gauze and medicine tape suddenly appeared on the nightstand beside the bed. He hastily grabbed the gauze, then slipped his hand under the bleeding Tooth's back and lifted her up. She cringed in pain, and he whispered in apology, "Sorry."

"It's okay," she gasped. "Just- just hurry."

"But Pitch-" He glanced over his shoulder, then froze when he saw Pitch striding towards him, a sort of manic glee on his face. Jack's muscles locked together; he couldn't move. He could only stare in horror as he watched the boogeyman come towards him- until he came to an abrupt stop. His smile slid into a frown as he lifted his hands up, palms forward, and just stood there. Then his face twisted into a snarl, and he lifted one arm up, as if about to punch the empty air. But when he swung, his hand smashed into something invisible. He screamed and yanked his hand back, holding it against his chest, a string of curses flooding from his mouth.

_I put a shield up. He won't be able to get past it, but I can't hold back the poison and the wall forever, _she warned. _I can keep it up for only so long.__  
_

Jack nodded, and turned back to Tooth. But when he picked up the gauze again(it had slipped out of his hand when Tooth had screamed)and tried to apply to her, he found that his hands were shaking badly. The roll was constantly slipping out of his hands. The sound of Pitch's cursing, the very audible noise of the pounding on the wall, and Tooth's labored breathing, were not helping at all. As he knelt beside her for the umpteenth time, gauze in one hand and Tooth in another, he felt something crash inside of him. He began to breathe heavily, his heart racing. Despair plagued at him, his whole body trembling.

Suddenly, he felt cool hands cover the one holding the roll. _Relax, _she whispered, her transparent fingers crossing over the back of his hand. A sudden urge seized him; he wanted to turn around so badly, to see her face. _Don't worry._ _I'm here. Just do what you need to do. She's counting on it_. The sound of Pitch's yells and Tooth's gasps were suddenly gone. He couldn't even hear the squeak of a floorboard, or the sound of the battle outside. _Don't worry about that. Just pay attention to Tooth._ Her hands disappeared from his own, and he was left staring at Tooth again.

A flood of calmness filled him, clearing his head and slowing his heartbeat. He took a deep breath, than pressed the end of the roll of the gauze directly over the wound, and began to wrap it around her chest, once, twice, nine or ten times, stuffing little gauze pads in between some of the wraps until the roll ran out, directly above where it started. He leaned over and grabbed the medicine tape from beside her, and slit two pieces from it, and pressed it firmly on to the end of the gauze.

Jack glanced up to check on Tooth, then froze when she saw that she was laying limply on her back, hr eyes fluttered shut. "No," he whispered. "No, no, no, no!" Dropping the tape, he got on to the bed beside her and propped her up against him. She didn't even flinch. "Tooth?" He shook her gently. No response. "Tooth!" He shook her harder. Her eyes didn't even flutter. "Tooth, please!" he pleaded.

Suddenly the Atlantean was on the other side of Tooth, her hands clasped over the former-fairies, though staring at him. Her headband was missing, letting her long hair tumble into her transparent and colorless face, framing her eyes, making her worried face more pronounced. "What am I supposed to do?" he cried, gesturing to the body in his arms.

_The crystal has special properties. Healing for one. _Jack blinked. The voice was Tooth's. The Atlantean gazed him with wide eyes. _Use the crystal, _she urged.

"B-But I don't know how!" She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. He thought she was irritated with him. Suddenly, his arms jerked away from around Tooth's body. His right arm reached into his shirt and closed around the crystal. When before it was cool, it was now burning to the touch. As his arm slid out of his shirt and held the crystal in front of his face, he noticed her eyebrows furrowing in concentration, flickering like a light before him.

_Yes, I'm controlling you, since we don't have time to go through it step by step, _she snapped, though there was a sense of urgency to her tone. He felt himself lean forward and gave a quick blow on to the crystal. It immediately glowed a brighter blue, and he was strongly reminded of the movie Atlantis: The Lost Empire.

_Then you know the rest. _

Her eyes snapped open, and her hand was suddenly on his other one, the one that still rested on Tooth's still body. Filling the spaces in between her fingers with her own, she lifted it up in between them.

_But it won't be enough._

Flickers of blue light flashed from the spot in between their fingers. Jack could feel a rush of strength shoot up his arm, and shuddered when it traveled through the rest of his body. His skin glowed a pale blue, and a flash of light from his peripheral vision later led him to believe that his eyes had flashed as well. A fierce flash of determination bolted through him. Moving with a sudden burst of understanding, he moved his hand with the crystal in it over Tooth's body and scratched it on the wound. The Atlantean leaned forward, and pressed her free hand against her chest. Her chest glowed a luminous blue. Jack stared in amazement. Then, too soon, it faded away.

She slid her hand out of his, though not breaking contact with him. _It is done. _Her eyes widened when they caught on something behind him. _You stay with her. I'll be back. _Then, just like the light, she, too, faded away. As soon as she vanished, all of the strength that Jack had felt vanished. Without a warning, he slid to ground in a heap. He groaned as he rolled on to his back, suddenly exhausted. All of the sound flooded back into his ears. He could suddenly hear Pitch pounding on the wall, screaming obscenely. It took him several seconds to realize that Tooth was calling his name. Using his last few ounces of strength, he pushed himself back on to his knees, and crawled back over to her side. She immediately pulled him into a hug, burrowing her face in the crook of his neck. He jerked, startled, but then his arms went around her waist and he was pulling her closer to him, and suddenly that sweet smell that could only be described at Tooth was around him. He inhaled deeply, trying to commit the scent to memory.

She suddenly pulled back, her fingers clutching his face as she gazed at him fervently. He felt a strike of alarm when he saw the drops of sweat beading at her forehead and the feverish look in her eyes. "Are you okay?" he asked worriedly.

"Yes, yes, I'm fine. Thanks to you!" She wrapped her arms back around him tight hug, and her lips were suddenly smushed against his. He made a noise of surprise in the back of his throat, and she pulled away, her eyes bright. "You found out how to use the crystal! You found out how! I mean, I could _never _get it to work, _never_, in over a thousand years! But it makes sense, when you first wore it glowed and then-"

A harsh, shattering noise cut her off. She craned her neck around Jack, then screamed. Jack whirled around to see Pitch lying around a pile of broken glass shards, a triumphant grin on his face. "Now," he purred, as he drew out his sword from its scabbard. It glinted menacingly in the light. "How would you like to die, Toothiana?"

Before she could even attempt to answer, an unseen force suddenly knocked the boogeyman on to the opposite side of the room. With a yelp, he slammed into the wall and crumpled to ground. The Atlantean stood in his place, her sword out, her face twisted in a snarl. _After all that work, I would prefer for her NOT to die anytime soon, thank you very much! _Pitch struggled to his feet, his eyes darting around suspiciously. "Who's there?" he demanded.

Her eyes narrowed as she slid into her stance, legs apart, sword over shoulder. _Your worst nightmare. _And without a warning, the room literally exploded into colors. Jack yelped as a ray of red and blue slammed into him, and flew across the room until he hit the wall and fell on to the ground beside Tooth's bed. A grunt across the room let him know that Pitch had also been hit. Jack laid on his back, staring up at the ceiling dizzily, until Tooth suddenly screamed. He groaned as he rolled back on to his stomach, and clutched at the bed comforter as he climbed up the four poster back to her side.

"What now?" he sighed, then gaped at the sight before him. The Atlantean was thrown into full color and light, as solid as a rock, chrysalis shards glinting around her as she drew herself to her full height, the golden hilt of her blade gleaming. Jack struggled to find the right comparison for her, then realized, with a shock, that he couldn't. There was something incomparable about her, the precise shade of deadliness and beauty that was not in any living creature. The midnight blue dress she wore whipped around her, flashing against her dark almond skin. Long waves of white hair lashed around her face in the wind, flailing in front of her eyes. _Her eyes..._He sucked in a breath when he saw the color of her eyes. _This is not a creature of this world, _he realized. The way she stood, how she narrowed her eyes in on her target, her muscles coiling, preparing for attack...This was a being that had come long before him, or any of the Guardians, maybe even Man in the Moon.

They were a blue, a blue that Jack had never seen before. They could be the shade of a cloudless sky, or the color of the unpredictable sea, or even the shade of Jack's own icy blue eyes. In them, flames of rage and fury danced in her irises, part of a bloodlust that Jack had never thought possible of being expressed in just the eyes. The lives of hundreds, maybe even thousands, of dead souls screamed in their depths. He imagined that he could see the reflection of the murder of each and every one of her victims in her eyes. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he wondered if she had actually killed anyone.

"More than you can count," she growled. Jack gasped, though whether it was because he was surprised that she could still hear him, or the fact that she had easily admitted to be a killer, and said it without any _remorse _was what shocked him, he could never say for certain.

Pitch struggled back to his feet, slumping against the wall, wincing. It was obvious that the blow that had brought the Atlantean to life had injured him more than it had Jack. His gaze landed on the Atlantean, and he frowned. "Who are you?"

"Well, since you obviously didn't hear the first time, let me repeat." She stood upright, her muscles suddenly relaxed as she laid the blade of her sword on her upturned palm, and smiled at him, though not without malice. "Your worst nightmare."

"Oh, is that so?" Pitch mocked. "And what spirit are you supposed to be? A water nymph? A Nereid? A siren?"

She frowned, as if genuinely offended. "First off, nymphs are supposed to be small and lithe, and I am rather tall and muscular, if I do say myself. And Nereids are beautiful and look like they're ready for marriage or whatever. Do I look like I'm ready for marriage?" she demanded, swinging her sword down to her side as she gestured to herself while she talked.

Jack gaped as he watched Pitch actually tilt his head and consider it. "You look almost that age, yes."

"Well then, I must look a lot older than I am," she mused, then shrugged. "And also, sirens have a birds body and a woman's head. I clearly do not have any feathers on me."

"You have a point there," he admitted as he stood up straight. Then he grinned as he raised his sword. "But that does not mean you cannot be handled cleanly and swiftly."

"Forgive me, but I must point out that you are wrong," she said politely, as she raised her sword as well. "You must learn not to judge a book by its cover..._.Kozmotis Pitchiner_." She said his name with a sort of accent, the sound sliding around the walls of her throat and leaving her lips like how snake hisses. Jack was strongly reminded of Parseltongue.

The boogeyman's eyes widened in realization and shock. "You!"

Her grin grew even wider. "I would have thought you would have remembered my name by now, but I guess we all just forget sometimes. Jack!" she suddenly barked at him. He immediately straightened up at the sound of his name. "Get Tooth out of here. I'll hold him for as long as I can, before-" It was at that precise moment that Pitch leaped across the room, swinging his blade at her neck. But her sword was already there; with a quick flick of the wrist, she deflected his blow and swept his feet from under him. Her head whipped around to Jack, who had frozen when Pitch had attacked her. "GO!" she shouted.

Jack nodded, and swept Tooth into his arms. She cried out in protest, but he ignored her, and ran out the room as the sounds of clashing metal continued.

"Jack, who was that? What was she doing there? How did she get there?" Tooth demanded as he hurried down the stairs. The narrow pillar's walls seemed to be closing in around him as he struggled down the spiral staircase, suffocating him. He let out a breath of relief when he reached the hall at the end of the tower.

"I don't know." He set her down and slammed the door behind him. _I need something to block it, _he thought, glancing around for something that might bar the doorway. There were a couple of fallen pillars, and a few bookcases that had tumbled face-first. He darted towards the smallest pillar, and attempted to pick it up. But it was too heavy; the pillar slipped out of his arms and crashed back on to the marble floor. He groaned, clutching at his white hair in discouragement, then, out of the corner of his eye, spotted a plaque with two French cutlass swords crossed over each other. _Maybe..._It would be enough to hold back Pitch for a while if he attempted to get past. But it was right below the ceiling, and he couldn't fly without his staff. Thinking quickly, he hopped on the the back of one bookcase, then on to the top of a partly-crumbled pillar. He jumped on to the top of an upright book case, then threw himself at the mantelpiece just below the plaque.

"Jack, what are you doing?" Tooth asked as he pulled himself on to the ledge.

"Just give me a second!" he called over his shoulder, then, with one hand on each hilt, slid the swords out of their cases. They were sturdy, and seemed to be well-built. He flipped them upside down, then leaped back at the door, and stuck through the catches on each side, making sure that at each end was firmly wedged in the catch.

"Good thinking," Tooth praised warmly as he picked her up, wrapping her arms around his neck. He smiled at her, and started towards the door that would lead downstairs, but slid to a stop, his mouth agape in shock. The doorway had completely collapsed, leaving a pile of rubble in his way. "Oh no," she whispered.

"We'll find another way out," he assured her, though he hadn't seen another way out. A loud crash from above made both of them look up. The ceiling shook and trembled at the crash, letting dust fall; a scream of anguish soon followed. There was another thud, though significantly softer, and then there was the sound of a door swinging shut. Echoing footsteps grew louder and louder. Jack's head swung from side to side wildly, desperately looking for a way outside.

As the footsteps grew louder, he spotted a small door, partly hidden by the shadow of the bookcase behind it. He hurried over to the door and swung it open. He was greeted by a burst of hot air and the open space just above the main plaza of the castle. He leaped back in surprise. Flowing from the landing just below them was the molten fire. Somehow, it had pooled into the plaza, and by the looks of it, traveled down the paths so that the rest of the castle had flooded as well; it had even caught on a few of the walls. Jack's eyes widened as he watched the fire swallowed up a side of the plaza of the castle, and was now making its way towards him. If he had taken another step, they would have tumbled into the fiery pit. And even if it wasn't there, they would have surely died from the height alone.

"Jack!" Tooth cried, tugging at his sweater and pointing behind him. He didn't bother looking over his shoulder; he could already hear Pitch was pounding against the door, and imagined black tendrils leaking through the cracks and attempting to pull out the swords. The thought spurred Jack into action.

"Hold on to me," he gritted through his teeth to Tooth. She nodded and tightened her grip around him. He swung her on to his back and felt her legs tighten around his sides. As soon as he was sure that she was holding on tightly enough, he turned around and got on his hands and knees and backed up towards the entrance, not once taking his eye off of the door. He slid first his legs over the edge, then the rest of his body followed, until he was clinging on to the edge by his fingertips, his feet clenching the small ledge below him.

He glanced over his shoulder and squinted past the billowing smoke and Tooth's hair whipping in the wind. The plaza was deserted. The spirits must have fled when the lava appeared. Just barely, he could see the balcony where Bunny had pulled him in halfway along the plaza. _Okay, _he thought, flexing his fingers along the edge, _I can do this._ Take a deep breath, he began to lower himself downwards, brushing his feet and torso against the wall to find potential hand- and feet-holds.

"Jack," she whispered in his ear when he had gotten a meter down, and was holding on to one of the jutted ledges.

"Hmm?" He wasn't really paying attention to her. His mind was on the fact that somehow, Pitch had manged to get past the Atlantean. She had appeared to be an extremely capable fighter, but the scream...He could only imagine what Pitch had done to her. His stomach clenched in worry. She had came out of nowhere and immediately began to help him. She saved him and Tooth and the rest of the Guardians. She had no reason to, nothing to gain. At least, none that he could think of. If she died, it would be his fault.

"Jack!"

"What?" he snapped, his patience becoming strained.

"I hear something," she hissed. "Up on the ledge."

He frowned and glanced up, then froze when he saw a dark shadow cast over the edge. His heartbeat immediately began to race. _No! I can't afford to panic! _he told himself. "Get in front of me," he whispered to her. She nodded, her eyes wide, and slid underneath his raised arms, twining her arms back around his neck, her fingers knotting themselves in the back of his hoodie. He carefully moved them right underneath the ledge, his right hand gripping the pole firmly. He wrapping his other arm around Tooth's waist, holding her close to him. Their chests pressed together, and he could easily feel the frantic beat of her heart through his sweater. Attempting to comfort her, he pressed his lips against her forehead. She pulled herself closer to him in reply, softly whimpering.

Two long, pointed tips of what looked like shoes suddenly appeared at the ledge. Jack felt a cold, dark shadow being cast over him. A shiver from Tooth let him know that she could feel it, too. He sucked in his breath, suddenly fearful that he could hear him breath. The two tips remained at the edge, just laying there, _menacingly_. Jack watched, not daring to move, or make a sound. The smoke and heat from below was beginning to waft up around him. He stifled a cough as the dust and smoke danced around in his throat after accidentally inhaling it.

Jack's arms were beginning to get more and more sore as he held both him and Tooth under the rafter. A slow panic began to spread through him, that he would be able to hold on long enough. He could already feel the sweat forming in between his fingers. Just when he became sure that they were going to fall, the shoes suddenly disappeared. Jack exhaled in relief.

Without a warning, something long and sharp landed just besides Jack's fingers. He yelped, his fingers almost slipping, and looked up to to see a sword blade narrowly missing his hand. Pitch's face was grinning like a skull back at him from the parapet walk. "Leaving so soon?" he mocked, before swinging the sword again, this time directed at them.

Jack quickly swung them out the way, and Pitch's sword swung harmlessly passed them. He gritted his teeth, and brought his sword back up again.

_Dies irae, dies illa!  
Dies irae, dies illa!_

"Look! Up on the ledge!" Jack faintly heard someone cry. He didn't notice, more focused on trying to dodge Pitch's next blow.

"Hang on!" Jack shouted to Tooth, and didn't wait for her to give him the okay. He released his grip around her waist and threw himself at the next ledge, the breath of the sword against the ends of his hairs. Tooth gasped when they slammed into the stone, but didn't slide off, to his relief. He gripped the stone ledge tightly with both hands and wedged his feet in the wall, making sure he wouldn't slip.

_Solvet saeclum  
__In favilla!_

Pitch grunted as he sliced the sword through the air again. Jack jumped to the next one, gripping the rail of the parapet and the jut. Pitch growled as he brought down his sword down. Tooth tightened her grip around his neck as he slipped from one and gripped the next ledge. Now they were dangling from the ridge. He forced himself not to look down, knowing that he would instantly become paralyzed and then Pitch would have them.

Determination pumping through him, Jack grunted as he pulled himself up, one arm wrapped around Tooth's waist, and pulled them into a crouch atop the ledge. Tooth was gripping him tightly in the front with her legs, squeezing hard enough to suffocate. For the first time, he was grateful that he had such a narrow frame. The boogeyman slashed again, and Jack yanked Tooth out of the way as they jumped on to a carving of a Crusader, one arm around its neck and the other gripping its blade; Pitch's sword became wedged in the stone behind them, erecting a scream of frustration out of its welder. While he was preoccupied with trying to pull his blade out, Jack whispered something in Tooth's ear. She nodded, and let go of Jack and began to climb on to the statue, Jack right behind her.

By the time Pitch had managed to yank out his sword from the ledge, Tooth was struggling over the railing of the walk. He snarled, and stalked towards her. Jack saw him about to slice Toothiana in two, and instinctively threw himself at her, knocking her out of the way just as the sword plunged into his arm. She cried out as she slid on to the parapet walk.

_Quando Judex est venturus!_

"I should have known you would have risked your life to save that half-breed," Pitch spat as he wrenched his blade out of him, erecting a cry of pain from Jack. "Just as you did to save your sister. And look what happened!" he shouted. "If you had only joined me-!"

Jack took a deep breath, then heavily pushed himself to his feet, holding his wounded arm The wind tore itself around him, his white hair whipping in his face. Despite the pain in his arm, and the soot and smoke in the air suffocating him, he laughed. It felt _wonderful. _And the look that it wrought out Pitch's face was simply priceless. "And be made into some kind of Dark Jack Frost? Oh, no. That's not for me! Same thing I said to Man in the Moon," he added. "And what happened? What _happened?_" he repeated. "I fell in _love._ I got a _family_ who _loved _me. And what did you do? You tried to take that away from me. But you-" He broke off as a hacking cough interrupted him. Once it was over, he wiped his mouth with his bloody arm, and continued, "you failed. You just made it even stronger. And even if you hadn't made it stronger, I would rather _die _than join you," he finished.

Pitch's face was a mask of utter shock. Jack had never seen a person look so surprised or disappointed or...hurt. For a split-second, he felt sorry for him. Then his face twisted into a snarl, and whatever pity Jack had felt was gone. "Then if I can't have you," he hissed, drawing back his sword, his eyes glinting dangerously. "_No one can._" Pitch suddenly moved so fast he was only a blur, and the next thing he knew, he could feel the tip of the blade poking out of the small of his back. At first, all he felt was his body go rigid with shock. He faintly heard Toothiana scream his name, and Pitch cackling, but he couldn't be sure of either one. All he could hear was blood pounding in his ears, and the dull roar that seemed to have no source. He looked down in disbelief at the sword buried all the way to the hilt in his belly. Then the first wave came. He cried out as he doubled over, clutching his stomach. So much pain. Jack had been stabbed before, but _this._ This was worse. So many times more worse.

The boogeyman cackled even louder as he ripped the sword savagely out of his stomach. Jack felt his body twist with the motion of the blade, half-falling, half-sliding forward. He crumpled into a heap atop of the statue, and began to slide off. Panicking, he flailed his uninjured arm around, and grabbed the first solid thing he felt, which was the end of Pitch's cloak that pooled around his feet. Suddenly, Jack felt something in him detach. As if in slow motion, he felt himself gravitate pull away from his body, and found himself hovering a few feet away, and watched the next few moments from above. He watched himself grip Pitch's cloak with both hands as he fell off of the statue and swing over to the parapet walk. When his body hit the stone, a foot or two below, he grabbed on to one of the carvings with his uninjured arm, and yanked on Pitch's cloak with the other. With a yell, the boogeyman hurtled over the railing into the space below him.

_Flammis acribus addictis._

Pieces inside of him suddenly clicked, like a puzzle that had just been reunited, and he was back in his body again. Ignoring the flood of the pain radiating from his gut, he tightened his grip on the jut, get a grip against the ledges with his feet, glancing over his shoulder just in time to see Pitch falling past him. A flood of relief spread through him, and he was about to rest his head on the wall when he felt cold, bony fingers close around his ankle. He looked down to see Pitch dangling below him, gasping as his weight dragged him down, and desperately clung to the ledge. Suddenly Tooth was there, leaning over the rail to grab his arm. She grunted as she attempted to pull him up, but to no avail.

_Voca me cum benedictis._

Pitch swung below him, trying not to look down at the pit of fire. All of his Nightmares and henchmen had left, either destroyed by the molten rock or killed by the spirits. He couldn't summon any more, the heat and fire warding off all dark magic. He glanced to the side, then spotted a ledge carved into the shape of a gargoyle. _It's not over yet. _Gritting his teeth, he leaned to the side, stretching his torso, arm out, until he could reach it. A grin spread across his face when his fingers closed around the statue's foot._  
_

_Confutatis maledictis,_

Jack could feel himself slipping away, like a child being pried away from the shore and swept into the dark sea. He tried to keep his head afloat in the darkness, but the heat from below was almost literally melting him, and the pain from his stomach continued to threaten to send him into unconsciousness. His hand began to slip from Tooth's.

"Hold on," she gasped, feeling his grip on her hand loosen on hers. "Hold on." He looked up at her with half-closed, sleepy eyes. Before, she had loved the look on his face, but now it terrified her. In her desperation- and mostly her long hair whipping in her face, obscuring her vision-, she didn't notice Pitch climbing on to the ledge beside her.

_Gere curam mei finis! _

Suddenly, she heard a dark laugh to her right, a laugh that sent chills down to the bottom of her feet. She turned her head to see Pitch climbing to his feet atop of the jut, leering at her. She stared at him, her eyes wide with horror, as he raised his sword above his head, still laughing. The fiery colors from the side of the castle lit up the sky behind him, the colors orange and gray mixing together in the smoke and fire. The light flickered madly in his eyes as he laughed even louder. "'Give them pleasure!" he cried. "'Give them the same pleasure they have when they wake up from a _nightmare!_'"

_My pleasure. _Tooth didn't hear the words, but they rang loud and clear in her head. Bright blue eyes, almost identical to Jack's, appeared behind Pitch, gleaming in the fire's light. Without a warning, the fire from behind suddenly yanked itself from away from the rest of the flames and swirled around in midair, in between the two. Both Tooth and Pitch looked up in surprise as it sifted and changed. Magnificent wings with a span longer than Tooth arms beat themselves at the edge of the flames. Long lion legs kicked out, knocking the flames away, followed by the body and tail, with the little tuft of fur at the end. Talons clawed at the air as the fire parted from its chest. Tooth stared in wonder as it swung its eagle head that seemed to merge seamlessly with its body out of the blazes, the flames reflected in its mystic, ancient eyes.

"A gryphon," Tooth breathed. _A __protector from evil, witchcraft and secret slander. _It had been so long, so very long, since she had last seen a gryphon. _For these animals do exist in India and are held in veneration as being sacred to the Sun; and the Indian artists, when they represent the Sun, yoke four of them abreast to draw the images; and in size and strength they resemble lions, but having this advantage over them that they have wings, they will attack them, and they get the better of elephants and of dragons._ Her father's legend of them rang in her closed her eyes in a silent prayer, then opened them. "Thank you," she whispered._  
_

As if in reply, the gryphon cawed, throwing its head back. It was beautiful, the fire's gleam catching on the end of its fur, on each separate thread of its feather. The light around it parted into elegant strands that twisted itself around its lion body gracefully. They followed it as it cawed once again, this time rising up, then, moving in sync with the strands, dove at Pitch. He dropped his sword to his side, his eyes wide and jaw agape as the fire surrounded him. Tooth watched in amazement as it obscured him from her view. Pitch screeched loudly as the fire latched on to him, covering every single inch of his body. His sword fell from his hand as he collapsed to his knees, still crying out. He tore at his clothes, desperately trying to bat the flames off of him, but they only curled around his wrists and ankles and pinned themselves to the stone ledge, leaving him on his hands and knees.

The gryphon, who had been hovering above them, landed at where the ledge began, and snarled, beginning to walk to him. Pitch gasped as it stalked towards him, its tail whipping from side to side, sparks flying from where its paws hit the stone. They dug into the ground and left deep, glowing crevices behind it. He began to struggle, but winced when the fire cut into his clammy skin. Unable to flee and escape, he could only watch with a growing terror in his eyes, his pupils eclipsing his irises as the gryphon neared him. It stopped right in front of him, less than a paw step away. It bowed its head so that they were eye-level. Fire caught on to the edge of its wings and made a narrow ring around its paws, but it did not seem to notice.

"No," Pitch gasped, beginning to struggle again.

Her eyes gleamed, and suddenly they were the same striking blue that Tooth had seen before the gryphon had appeared. She opened her beak, and spoke only a single word. But it rang out across the courtyard, bouncing off of the flamed walls and echoing off into the mountains, ringing of irony. Irony and justice. "_Yes_."

Without another word, the gryphon reared up and dove at him, screeching. Suddenly, there was a loud cracking sound. The fissures in the ledge that her paw steps had left had dug all the way through the stone. With a loud snapping sound, the shelf split away from the wall and began to fall. The cuffs around Pitch suddenly disappeared, and he fell backwards, the talons locked deeply into his chest. As he free-fell away from them, he opened his mouth. Then Tooth heard a scream. The same agonized scream that she had heard earlier. Full of death and pain. Of agony and lost. Of a man, a man who had lost everything and sought to gain everything. _Of Pitch, _she thought. And with that, he disappeared into the smoke below.

Tooth stared at the place where Pitch had vanished, her mouth agape in shock. Of course, the gasp she heard surprised her even more. "Tooth," Jack whispered. She jumped and almost let go, having thought that he had lost consciousness long ago. And when she looked down at him, it was only the faint rise and fall of his breath that told her that he was still breathing.

"Jack!" She immediately began to try and lift him up on to the railing, but he had become dead-weight in her arms. His hands, which weren't gripping on to her wrists anymore, started to slide out of her grip. "Jack, please," she pleaded, struggling to keep him from slipping out of her hands. But it was too late- he slid through her fingers and fell towards the ground. "NO!" she screamed, clutching at the air where he had been.

Suddenly, he came to an abrupt stop, about a couple dozen feet above the fiery pit. Then he slid between the pillars below and out of sight. Tooth gaped, then began to wonder if she needed glasses.

* * *

Jack numbly heard a soft voice murmuring to him, and felt the soft cushion of fur around him, with two arms cradling him like a baby as they pulled him to the ground. "Bunny," he said weakly, feebly waving his arm to feel for the rabbit. By the tips of his fingertips, he could feel more thick fur, then, underneath, strong, tense muscles on a thin cord. He reached up and wrapped his arms about what he presumed to be his neck.

"It's okay, mate, I got ya," Bunnymund assured him, pulling him, then called, "North! Sandy! I got him!"

Footsteps thundered down the hallway, getting louder as they neared. "Is he alright?" North asked anxiously.

"He's awake. But just barely." There was a pause. "No, that looks like a sword wound. Jack? Jack, can you hear me?"

"Yeah," he gasped, then winced, clutching at his stomach as a sharp pain stabbed him there.

"What happened? Where's Tooth? And Pitch? We saw him fall, but-"

"JACK!" The feminine cry rang out through the hallway. The voice was instantly recognizable; it were the heartstrings that tugged at his own heart. Without even thinking about it, he opened his eyes. Sandy and North were kneeling beside him, the underside of Bunny's chin crammed into his view. But he didn't see them; all he saw was her standing at the end of the corridor. At that instant, she had never looked more beautiful. Her black hair fell around her face, framing her beautiful amethyst eyes. _Oh Moon, those eyes._ Her face was pinched with worry when he had opened his own eyes, but it was now relaxed when she saw him staring at her. A grin spreading across those adorable cheeks, she began to run towards him, her bare feet making little sound as she ran towards him. He weakly lifted his arms, knowing she was going in for a hug. "Jack!" she cried again as she ran into his arms, burrowing her face in shoulder. "Oh my goodness, Jack, I thought I lost you!"

"Now you know how I felt," he joked, then gasped as he felt another jab of pain in his abdomen.

She pulled back, alarm on her face. "What's wrong?"

"My...my stomach," he groaned, clutching at it.

"Pitch stabbed him with his sword. And in the arm," Tooth told the others, her face tight with worry again. "Do we have anything? Any potion, any spell, anything for him?" she asked desperately.

North shook his head. "None that we can make in enough time. Perhaps Man in the Moon-"

"No." His voice came out stronger than he had anticipated. Everybody turned to look at him in surprise. He shook his head. "No. Pitch was right about one thing. That Man in the Moon-" He began to cough violently, blood spurting from his lips. Tooth gasped and reached for him, but he waved her away, his face grim. "The Man in the Moon does not care for us. He-He just keeps us alive for us to whatever he wants. He has us to do _his _dirty work."

"Jack, don't! Pitch is making you think this," Tooth begged.

"No, I'm not, Tooth!" he shot. "Think about it. He didn't do anything when you were kidnapped, or us. He didn't do anything when we were turned back into humans, or when we fought the battle!"

"But what about when you got out of chains?" North protested.

"That wasn't him. That was..." The Atlantean flashed behind his eyelids, her gleaming blue eyes and tangled white hair. The way she fiercely fought for him and Tooth, somehow transferring her own powers to him so that he could be free to save Tooth. Had willingly given up her life to protect them from Pitch, had dove into the fiery pits to ensure that Pitch would be killed. He felt a pang in his stomach that was not from his pain. He squeezed his eyes close, trying to keep himself from crying. "That was someone else."

"Who?" Bunny demanded.

He only shook his head. For some reason, he wanted to keep the Atlantean to himself. _At least, for now._ Jack took a deep breath and opened his eyes to see a crowd gathering at the end of the corridor. A few of the spirits were openly weeping. _I must look worst than I though, _he realized. He started to cough again. More blood flew from his mouth. Tooth whimpered, laying her head against his shoulder. He sifted her fingers through her hair, gently running them through the strands. "Well, you guys might as well say your good-byes," he sighed, relaxing his body against Bunny. "I'm not getting better any time soon."

"Jack, you cannot think this way!" North pleaded.

"Just give us time, mate, we'll have you fixed up in a trife," Bunny promised.

He shook his head again. "I'm not gonna make it, Bunny. I can feel..." _I can feel myself being dragged away. Every single moment I stay awake is just another moment that I have to endure extreme pain. I can't feel my extremities, my insides feels like they're on fire. I can barely breath, I can barely keep awake. _He swallowed. "Just...Just stay with me. Until the end."

"Of course," Tooth assured him, her voice scratchy. Tears were beginning to form in the corner of her eyes. She clasped her hand around his and held it up to her lips, gently kissing the back of his hand.

There was suddenly a loud twittering sound. Jack was too tired to turn his head, and simply closed his eyes. Suddenly, he felt a little peck on his cheek. He peeked through one eye, then opened both and managed a weak smile. "Hey, Baby Tooth," he rasped, lifting his other hand. The hummingbird with gold dusting on her back landed on his fingers, tweeting sorrowfully. "Hey, don't worry. I'll be fine."

"Jack, mate..." Bunny began, but Tooth quickly shushed him. "No, I want to say something," he insisted.

"It's okay, Tooth," Jack reassured her, then glanced up at Bunny. "Go ahead."

"Okay. I know that we've had...well, we've had some really tough times together, eh, mate?" That earned a small chuckle out of him. "I know I was pretty bad to you, when we first met, and when you first became a Guardian. But that's because I didn't know you all that well. And now, well...you're actually pretty cool, mate." He hesitated, then went on. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything I said and did to you."

"It's okay, Bunny. I knew you cared," he teased, but at the same time, a warm feeling went through his stomach.

"I'd like to say something, too," North suddenly announced. He sat besides them on the ground, and began. "Jack, over the past few months, I feel like we have really _bonded_. I feel like you are my son."

"Woah, there, big-guy. I haven't gotten to that stage yet," he joked, though the feeling was now reaching his toes. Sandy shouldered North aside, jumping up and down, signs flashing above his head wildly as he tried to show Jack all of his feelings. "Um, okay, that's not helping, but thanks little man," he said, using the same words that he had used when they had first met. Sandy threw his hands up in exasperation, and just leaned over and hugged him tightly, wrapping his small arms around his thin frame. A spark of alarm went through him when he realized that he could barely feel the sandman hug him. "Thanks, Sandy," he said quietly. The sandman could hear the faintness in his voice, and immediately let go, nodding to Tooth.

"Jack-" Tooth began, but he cut her off.

"Tooth, I don't want you to say anything. I know how you feel about me. If you don't already know about how much I-" Another cough interrupted him. He wiped his mouth with his arm, and went on. "If you don't already know how much I love you, and in each way, I left a journal, in my room, in Burgess. I wrote entries about how I felt, about each of you guys. And Jamie." A pang went through him when he thought about the little boy. "I-I would like it, if one of you guys could tell Jamie what happened. Stay with him, for as long as you can."

"I'll do that," Bunny promised.

"And Bunny?"

"Yeah, mate?"

"Could you do me another favor?"

"Of course." He motioned for him to bend down, and whispered something in his ear. Bunny pulled away, a concerned look on his face. "Are you sure, mate?"

Jack nodded. "I don't think I can trust her with anyone else," he whispered.

"Trust who with anyone else? Jack?" Tooth stared at him accusingly, but he was still looking at Bunny.

"Can you please do it? Please?" Bunny sighed, then nodded. "Thank you, Bunny." The numbness was spreading through him now, locking on to everything below his torso. He swallowed hard, the tears coming back. "Guys, I-I can't feel my legs."

Tooth leaned forward and pressed her lips in a gentle kiss, then laid her head on his chest, tears openly running down her tan cheeks. "I love you," she choked, .

"I love you, too," he whispered, then tilted his head so he could see everybody. "I love all of you guys," he announced.

"And we love you, too, Jack," Bunny assured him, holding him tighter.

"No matter what happens to you, or us," North rumbled.

Sandy flashed a single word above his head. "_Always._"

Jack smiled, tears burning at the back of his eyes. The light from the fire outside was slowly fading away, to be replaced with the sunrise's warming glow. In his mind's eye, he could see Death beckoning to him. He wasn't in the dark cloak and terrifying staff. He looked like...an old friend. He took a deep breath. _I began in darkness. _

_And I'll end in light. _The thought made him smile even wider. And Jack Frost finally let go.

His hand slid from out of Tooth's, hitting the floor with a soft thud. His head rolled to the side, turning away from the other Guardians, as a single tear rolled down his pale cheek.

"Jack!" Tooth cried, reaching for him, but it was too late.

He was already dead.

* * *

Jack had always imagined that when he reached Heaven, he would hear the sounds of great gates opening, maybe the sound of a choir as he entered. He didn't think that the first words he would hear was, "Dear Neptune have mercy, what are you _doing _here?!"

* * *

I'm not joking, I cried while writing that ending. Tears and everything. I especially started choking up when I said that he couldn't feel his legs. Dear Neptune, that was emotional. :'( Well, at least for me. I had to literally picture EVERYTHING, then translate into words. Even though I know what's gonna happen after, I was still crying. And you should know that I am NOT an emotional person. The only time I cried during a book was, hmm, let me think, NEVER.

Well, I hope that scream was loud enough for you, Screamindivr145!

Hopefully, this was enough to suffice your needs. :D Don't worry, there'll be another chapter.

Maybe.

Anyway, if you could write a little review down there and press the send button, that'd be great. :P

Here are the translations for Sanctuary Part II, or also known as And He Shall Smite the Wicked:

Dies irae, dies illa (Day of wrath, that day)  
Solvet saeclum in favilla (Shall consume the world in ashes)  
Quando Judex est venturus (When the Judge is come)  
Confutatis maledictis (When the damned shall be cast down)  
Flammis acribus addictis (Into the searing flames)  
Voca me cum benedictis (Call me with the blessed)  
Confutatis maledictis (When the damned shall be cast down)  
Gere curam mei finis (Help me in my final hour)


	26. From the Dead and Back

Well, quick warning, this is just a quick-chapter so that I can get back to the story, so excuse the lack of depth. Yep, story's not over yet, people. Well, not entirely. It kind of is, but kind of isn't.

What else? Oh yeah, I'm thinking about doing a How To Train Your Dragon story.

I was close to making Tooth do a Quasimodo and sleep until her death with Jack's dead body when I remembered that Jack was supposed to live. -_- You guys got _sooo_ lucky.

I own nothing.

* * *

"Dear Neptune have mercy, what are you _doing_ here?!"

Jack's eyes flew open in surprise. He was in a place eerily similar to where he had been when Man in the Moon came to talk to him. He was once again shrouded in fog, though it was significantly more heavy this time. The same grass was tickling his feet. He was even sitting on the same stump with his staff laid across his legs. _And _his sweater was missing. _Again_. He couldn't help but feel a little annoyed. _I have my sweater for a reason, _he thought crossly. Well, at least he still had on his necklace.

So much that he was occupied with his surroundings, he forgot all about the voice that had jarred him awake in the first place, and didn't notice the eerie blue glow in the fog approaching him until she emerged completely from the mist, her crystal glowing. "Jack! What in Neptune's name are you doing here?" the Atlantean demanded, putting her hands on her hips.

Jack looked up in confusion, then gasped. "It-It's you! You're alive!" He launched himself off of the stump and was about to embrace her when he suddenly remembered. "Wait...I...I died, didn't I? A-Are youdead? Am-Am...Am _I_ dead?"

"Not yet," she replied, her eyes glinting. "But I thought the whole point of me diving off of the castle was to KEEP you from being killed!"

"I'm sorry! I didn't _mean _to get killed, you know," he protested. "I'm pretty sure that the other Guardians would prefer me down there than up here." She pinched the bridge of her nose in exasperation, muttering something in what he presumed to be Atlantean, but didn't reply. They stood in silence for a while, then, looking around, Jack asked, "So, is this like the gateway to Heaven or something?"

"No. It's limbo," she replied, her hand slipping to her side.

"Well that clears everything up," he said sarcastically, shoving his hands into his pants' pocket.

"Look, _I _didn't bring you here," she snapped, her face suddenly livid. "I was trying to keep you and Tooth _alive_, remember? But apparently, you just had to go and get stabbed in the stomach by a sword! And then you completely forgot about this!" She gestured angrily at his necklace. "For Neptune's sake, you could have just healed yourself! And now you're stuck here!"

"Wait, what do you mean, _stuck?_" he demanded.

"Unless we can convince Charon to let you go, you'll be stuck here in the Fields of Asphodel," she told him.

"Wait, as-as the _Greek _Field of Asphodel? Aren't I supposed to be judged or something?"

"I don't think you'd like to take that chance," she said darkly. "But I think I might be able to get you past Charon. He knows me pretty well, and he likes a pretty face," she mused.

"Oh. Well, thank you."

She rolled her eyes. "The longer you stay here, the harder it'll be to get you back. Come on!" She grabbed his hand, and before he could protest, she was dragging him through the fog. When passing the stump, he quickly swooped down and snatched up his staff, before running along with her. To his surprise, he was struggling to keep up with her. Her longs legs flew quickly through the knee-high grass, running on the tips of her toes. He, on the other hand, was trying to keep his arm from being ripped off and falling face-first into the grass.

They had been running for a while when a thought occurred to him. "Wait, so how do you know about all this? This-This place?" he demanded, panting hard.

"Because I've been here before."

"Wait, you've _died _before?"

"Three times, to be exact. The first time was because of a heart attack when I was born. The second, well, let's just say I had something that really disagreed with my soul metabolism. And the third was because I was stabbed with an electric spear in the heart. I was sent back each time." As she spoke about each experience, her voice was nonchalant, as if she didn't care that she had almost lost her life three times.

"What? Why?"

"Because the Source wanted me alive," she said simply.

"The Source?" Jack's head was swimming.

"Look, it's a bunch of Atlantean mumbo-jumbo that you wouldn't understand unless I took you there and showed you itself, and I doubt that'll happen," she said shortly. "All you need to know is that no matter what I do, until I fulfill my purpose to the Source- whatever it is- I will not be allowed to die. That's how it is with most of us." Jack glanced at her. Her face was smooth, void of any expression, except her eyes, narrowed in concentration.

"How did you know Pitch?" he asked curiously.

"I didn't. My mother did. But if you dressed us up the same and put us next to each other, you could never tell the difference between us, save for a few scars. So I figured that Pitch wouldn't, either."

"But how did your mom know Pitch?"

"He terrorized Atlantis for years. During her teen years, she spent most of her time trying to keep his Nightmares from taking the Source. She succeeded, but..." She trailed off, and suddenly came to an abrupt stop, her hand slipping out of his, biting her lip.

Jack looked at her curiously. She seemed to look younger when she did that. Her eyes were luminously round, her face adorably scrunched up. She looked almost ten, despite her muscly build and height. Somewhere in the back of his mind, Jack wondered how old she actually was. "But what?"

The Atlantean only shook her head. "Come on, let's go." She began to start again, this time simply walking.

Jack hesitated, then jogged after her, and swung his staff over his shoulder when he caught up to her. They continued to walk in silence, both of their white hair gently fluttering in the wind. He glanced at her from the corner of her eye. The muscles in her arms and shoulders were tense, her face tight. He realized that something about her mother was worrying her. He wanted to ask what, but the question would probably be met with more tight-lip. And a punch. Instead, he decided to ask a different question. "Why did you help me?"

She raised her eyebrows at him. Her eyebrows, he noticed, were rather scattered. "What?"

"Why did you help me?" he repeated. "Why did you get me out of those chains? Protect Tooth from Pitch? Risk your life for us?"

She tilted her head to the side as she thought, a crease forming between her eyes. "I don't know," she said finally. "And when I think about it, I probably shouldn't. I have a condition that makes me fatally allergic to heroism," she said wryly.

Despite the circumstances, he chuckled. "You know, I'm-I'm really grateful for what you did for us," he told her, brushing his white bangs out of his face as he turned to look at her. "Keeping Tooth alive and all. You don't know how much she means to me-"

"I do, actually," she interrupted, a mischievous look forming on her face.

"What? How?" he asked, confused.

She held up her crystal in reply, a small smile spreading across her cheeks. They were adorably dotted with a cute spray of freckles that he hadn't notice before. He was suddenly struck by how nice the simple gesture looks on her. Her whole face, which had been pinched with worry a few seconds ago, was now lightly brightened. Her eyes had a mischievous sparkle that he often imagined on his own face. "And the fact that you took a sword for her twice. But this mostly told me. If you get out of this alive, I'll explain this whole thing," she promised.

"Okay. You know, you should smile more often," he added without thinking.

"You sound like my mother," she grumbled, but grinned. Her teeth were as white and straight as his.

"Well, it seems like me and your mother would get along really well."

She rolled her eyes. "She gets along with _everybody_. No matter what. I swear, it's unhealthy to be that good-natured. But I guess when you're as bad tempered and have a black heart like me, you're bound to think like that. But she says that I could be, too, if it weren't for my disagreement with my soul metabolism."

He didn't ask her what that meant. "What will your mom think, when she finds out you're dead?" he asked instead.

Her smile vanished, to be replaced with a frown. "Probably mourn me by going to my favorite place and make me a shrine, then cry. It wouldn't be the first time, but she...she's the only one interested in trying to keep me alive simply because she cares for me."

"I would," he said casually.

The Atlantean's hand was suddenly curled around his arm, and yanked him to a stop. "You would?" she asked, her eyes wide.

"Well, yeah. You saved my life _twice-_"

"But I failed the third time," she protested.

He waved his hand carelessly. "Doesn't matter. I don't think dark-hearts risks their life to save other people," he said wryly. "You, on the other hand, did. So whatever _disagreement _your soul had, I don't think it's erased all of the good in you. You seem like you're a really good person, deep inside."

She blinked at him, then quickly looked away and pointed at something downwards of the hill that they were on. "Oh, look! There's Charon!" Jack had no idea how she could see through the mist; all he could see was a small river that snaked through the hills. Without another word, she began to run towards the river. He groaned, but began to jog after her again.

As they jogged down the hill, Jack spotted what she had been pointing at before. A long canoe, about the size of a school bus, with dozens of seats inside, was laying halfway in the water. Beside it stood a tall man, dressed in reddish-brown Ancient Greek clothing, holding a ferryman's pole. He had a kindly looking face, with unruly red hair and large elfish ears. The only thing unnerving about him was his dark black eyes that peered intently at him when he and the Atlantean finally reached him.

"Hallo 'ere, missy," Charon grinned as they slid to a stop. "Back 'ere again, eh? Did ya miss me dat much?" he teased.

"No time for jokes, Charon," she said sternly. "I need you to get Jack and I back to the living."

He frowned. "Wha he'd do to get 'imself landed 'ere?" he demanded.

"He sacrificed himself for his girlfriend, and was stabbed through the stomach," she explained, rolling her eyes. Jack glared at her, but didn't say anything.

"Eh, I'd like to, darlin'. But it be against the rules to let da dead go back to da living. Just 'cause you do dat don't mean he can't."

"Charon, please! He was fighting Pitch," she said.

He stiffened. "Pitch?"

"Yes. He did...terrible things to him. Terrible. And it wasn't his time to die. Please let him pass," she pleaded.

Charon groaned. "Aye, da things I do for ya...Fine! I'll let 'em pass." He pointed a long finger at her. "But ya know da rules, miss," he warned.

She sighed, and nodded. "I know."

Jack felt as if he was missing out on something. "Wait, what rules? What's going on?" he demanded.

"I cannot go on the boat with you," she answered, her face smooth. "I have to stay here."

"What? But why?" he cried.

"If I told you, we'd be here for hours talking about Greek and Roman legends and what are facts and what are legends. Look, just get in the boat. Tooth's waiting for you, remember?" she reminded him, impatiently brushing her white hair out of her face.

"So you'll just stay here while I go back and live out my life?" he demanded.

"Pretty much, yeah."

"Then I won't go," he said stubbornly, crossing his arms.

Her eyes flashed dangerously. The flames that he had seen in her eyes were back. "I can just as easily knock you out and dump you in the boat and let Charon take you back, but that would mess up your mental state worse than it is now. So are you going willingly? Or do I have to hit on the back of the head with the pole?" she threatened.

"Fine, okay! I'll get on." He glanced at Charon, who only shrugged and gestured at the boat. Jack was about to step on it, when a thought occurred to him. He turned back around to the Atlantean, who groaned when she saw that he wasn't getting on. "But I don't even know your name," he protested.

"I don't think this is the proper place in time for that, Jack."

"See! You know my name, but I don't know yours."

"Jack, the longer you stay here the more difficult it'll be for Charon to battle upstream and get you back to your body! Just get in the freaking boat!"

"But- will I ever see you again?" The words were out of his mouth before he could even rectify it.

The Atlantean pinched the bridge of her nose again, sighing in exasperation. "For Neptune's sake, this is not a romance movie. You already have a girlfriend, remember?"

"Well, now I know why. Just tell me, and I'll get on the boat," he promised.

"You promise?"

"Yes."

"Okay then. The chances of us ever meeting again are very, very slim, if not impossible. Probably when your time to die comes, you might see me, if I'm not in Hell. Remember? _I'm staying here_. So I suggest you might as well not even hope."

"Oh." He didn't know what he had been expecting the answer to be, but he wasn't expecting that. Also how she seemed to have no problem with staying behind in the field of- what had she called it?- Asphodel, in limbo or whatever it was that confused him. But he couldn't force her. If anything, she would force _him_. And she was right. Tooth was waiting for him. A pang of anxiety went through him. She was probably a mess right now. He had died right in front of her. And the others...

He took a deep breathe. He had to get on.

Turning around for the final time, he stepped on to the boat. It was made of sturdy elder wood, the bark smooth and without a scratch. It dipped slightly where his feet landed and bounced back up when he had removed it from the spot. He sat down on one of the built-in seats on the side next to the bank. Looking to the other side, he realized that the river was much, _much_ wider than he had anticipated. He couldn't even see the other side of the bank. Waves crashed angrily against each other like lions in battle. The wind tore furiously at the water, which reached up and sprayed him in the face. Wiping off the droplets, he glanced at the shore, where the Atlantean was crossing her arms, watching him through narrowed eyes, her face expressionless.

Charon was climbing aboard, sighing as he swung his pole over the side of the canoe. "Ya ready, boy?" he rasped.

Jack hesitated, then nodded. "I'm ready."

The man grunted as he pressed his pole against the side of the bank, pushing the canoe off of the shore. It slid in with a jarring bump. Jack instinctively clung to the side of the boat. He suddenly heard a light laugh. He glanced over to see the Atlantean covering her mouth, her eyes sparkling like before. "You know, I'm not going to forget about you," he said, suddenly bold, as the boat began to slide through the water.

She took her hand away from her mouth, the right corner of her lips turned up in a half-smile. "I never said you should, or were," she called as the boat slipped further away. "Even though you probably should."

He shook his head as he rested his elbows on the railing. Mist was beginning to obscure the bank and her from his vision. "I'm not. No matter what."

Even through the fog, he could see her eyes flash again. "Don't make promises you can't keep," she warned.

"Who says it's a promise?" he grinned.

If she replied, he didn't hear it. Now all he could see was the boat and the fog. He sighed as he sat back down in his seat.

"Bit of a nutbrain, dat one," Charon remarked as he steadily waded his oar through the water. "But she's a good miss. I 'member when she first came 'ere. Sweet little lass; only a few 'ours old. I wasn't surprised to see a little young'un like 'er; used to get 'em all the time. Brought down in carriages if they couldn't walk. They would always be a-crying, making noise and fuss. But 'er, she had the sweetest little laugh that you can imagine, and could already speak. On our way back, she told me that she fancied my 'air, and that she would like to touch it," he said thoughtfully, resting his face on the pole. "Then, just as she was a-pettin' it, she was gone. Just like dat."

Jack couldn't help but imagine the Atlantean as a newborn baby. Round blue eyes, wisps of white hair poking of her head, her fists clenched as she waved her chubby hands at the air as she giggled adorably. _And already talking._ "What was she like the second time?" he asked curiously.

Charon shook his head. "Much different. Poor thing was terrified," he sighed as he began to slide the oar through the water again. "On 'er chest, 'ere was a darkness, like black ink on glittering gold. When she reached me, it had already consumed most of 'er body. She begged me to help 'er, but I didn't know what to do. By the time she had got on da boat it had reached 'er 'ands and toes, she was spewing some pretty nasty things at me. 'Er eyes were as black as night. Then she split 'n two."

Jack blinked. "Pardon?"

"I said she split 'n two. One all golden n' sparkly. The other dark as night." He shook his head. "When they joined back, she was a silvery color. And she weren't the same. Not happy n' bouncy, but not evil mad neither. Just confused. It was strange. And then she a-went back to the living."

"And the third?"

"I think you need to a-concentrate more on that waterfall, sir," he told him, nodding ahead.

"Waterfall?" Without a warning, the boat violently tipped forward, and Jack was clinging to the edge of the canoe, staring into a roaring chasm with crashing waves at the sides.

"You might wan'er hold on to dat fancy stick yer got there!" Charon called, glancing over his shoulder at him, amusement in his eyes.

Jack grabbed his stick and pressed it to his chest. He could feel his heart's pounding through the wood. He wanted to shut his eyes tight, even though he knew that no real harm could come to him, since he was already dead. _Screw it_, he decided, and closed his eyes. Besides, if he did that, Tooth would be the first thing he would see. The thought relaxed him; he took a deep breath and smiled. The boat was in free-fall; he gripped the edge of the boat tighter, feeling himself beginning to float away from it.

"Oy! You wan'er hold yer breathe, boy!" Charon shouted over the roar of the waves. Jack was able to gulp a quick supply of air just before the boat crashed into the water. Cold, cold water swirled around him, raising goosebumps on his arms and legs, submerging him into...wherever he was. It forced its way up his nose, sending chills up and around his body. He forced himself to keep his eyes and lips shut, clinging on to the wood so tight he was sure his knuckles were white.

As he struggled to hang on to the sinking boat, he suddenly became aware of the growing ache in his lungs from the lack of air. Remembering how he had drowned in the lake, he began to panic. Forgetting his former resolution to hold on tight and keep his eyes close, he ripped himself away from the boat and opened his eyes wide as he began to swim desperately, though he didn't know quite where. As he looked desperately around, he realized that he could no longer see the boat, nor the waterfall where they had fallen from. In fact, he couldn't see anything but the water and its endless deep.

The ache becoming increasingly painful, he tried to swim upwards; the currents were too strong, and simply sent him back below. He flailed his arms wildly as he was tossed and turned in the icy waters. Suddenly his arm smacked against something hard. He glanced up just in time to see the boat passing over his head, towards the bottomless blackness. Charon was still at the head of the boat, pushing through the water with his river oar steadily, a calm look on his face. _He must do this all the time,_ he realized, as he gathered himself to swim back on to the boat. He tried to ignore the black and red spots flashing in front of his eyes and struggled to the boat.

A heavy weight seemed to be weighing down his arms and legs as he thrashed them furiously. He made little progress towards the boat, which was steadily speeding away from him. _No, no, no, no! _He desperately switched tactics and attempted to swim in proper form, hoping that it would propel him towards the boat. While it did make him look more dignified while drowning, it didn't do much to his speed.

His lungs felt like there were going to burst; he could barely flick his wrist to save his life. _If I was still alive, _he thought, then furrowed his eyebrows as he recalled something. _Wait a second_..._That's it! _He forced himself to stop fighting the inevitable darkness, and kept his eyes open, seeing more and more of the spots in his view. A sudden glow appeared around him, the color of gold and the sun. It engulfed him, chasing away the frightening cold and dark. He felt his body relax, the warmth rolling over his skin blissfully.

_And now, back to the_ _living, _he thought, a grin spreading across his face,

* * *

"Jack? Jack! Jack, please!" Tooth cried, grabbing him and shaking him by the shoulders. He didn't reply, his eyes, which had been so vibrant and full of life just seconds before, dull and empty, staring at nothing. "Jack, please wake up," she pleaded, tears streaming down her cheek. "Jack, _please_."

"Tooth," Bunny tried, but she ignored him.

"Jack! _Jack!_" she shouted, shaking him harder. His head flopped around before limply rolling to the side, a small trickle of blood escaping the corner of his mouth.

"Tooth!" Bunny grabbed her from around the waist and yanked her away from Jack's corpse. North caught him just before he could hit the ground, and laid him gently on the cold marble ground. He noticed that his body was the same temperature as the heat in the air, instead of his normal frigid coldness. He choked on a sob as he reached down and closed his eyes.

Tooth screeched and thrashed around in his arms, her legs and arms flailing as she fought against Bunny. "Tooth, mate, calm down!"

"No! No, let me go!" she screamed, struggling against him.

"Tooth! _Tooth! _TOOTH!" he bellowed. It shook the ceiling, dust falling from the rafters. Everybody winced and covered their ears. Bunny took a deep breathe. "Tooth, there's nothing we can do." His voice cracked on the last word, his barely-hidden anguish threatening to break through. "He's gone," he whispered.

"No, no, no, no!" she wailed, swinging her head back and forth, her dark hair flying all over the place. "I have to- I have to stay with him. He-He made me promise, he made me promise that I would always stay with him-" she babbled hysterically.

"Tooth, you _can't_," Bunny said despairingly. But he knew she wouldn't listen. For centuries, he had avoided every little thing that could crush her, flossing his teeth, making sure he ate healthy food, bringing her little gifts here and there, just so that she could be happy. He had even avoided having a romantic relationship with her, for the fear that something might go wrong and damage her heart. Then Jack Frost had came, and made her laugh and smile so easily in just a few days, things he had struggled to do for so many years. He had resented him for it, but slowly began to realize that that was what was best for her. But now...Bunny shook his head. He couldn't protect her forever; he was going to have to break her heart. "He is _dead_, Tooth. He's dead, and he's not coming back. Ever," he barked, his voice coming out more harshly than he had intended.

She froze in his arms. "Don't you dare say that," she hissed.

"It's the _truth_. He's gone." The sudden truth of the words hit him like a ton of bricks. He was never going to hear the sound of his laughter again, see the frost formations that he would make when he was bored, see his ice-blue irises crinkle up when he laughed, that annoying grin that made him want to slap him. He was never going to teasingly offer him a cup of carrot tea again, or challenge him to a deadly snowball fight. "He's gone and never coming back," he whispered. _I never even got a chance to tell him that he could actually sing, _he thought with a pang. He began to rapidly blink his eyes, trying to force the oncoming tears back.

Tooth suddenly went limp in his arms, a low moan escaping her throat. It was so full of pain, so full of anguish and loss, that Bunny could feel himself trembling at the sound of it. The noise echoed off of the walls and through the chambers, ringing against the marble statues and metallic floor. North and Sandy bowed their heads as she continued her mournful wail. It finally faded into the morning light, which stretched across the still-smoking plaza and it the Guardians on the other side. It hit Jack's body with almost perfect aim, lighting him up so that he almost sparkled in the sun. Tooth turned around in Bunny's hold, pressing her head against his chest and wrapping her around what she could reach of his back, whimpering.

_I don't think I could trust her with anybody else. _Bunny was strongly reminded of Jack's words to him as Tooth clung to him. A strong urge to lift her up and kiss her and take her to be his own for once, so much that his arms twitched, ready to do it. But it was too soon, her pain too strong and raw. Besides, the lingering fear that he would ruin everything between them held him back. In the end, he just held her, gently smoothing her hair back and whispering soothingly to her.

"We-We have to take him back," she said finally, her voice raspy from crying, pulling her head away from his chest and looking back up at him. "Back...Back to Burgess. He would want us ...bury him there."

"I know," he sighed as he set her back down on her feet.

"But are we not going to plan burial for him?" North protested.

"Do we have time? I mean, if Pitch is still out there, mate-"

"Pitch is dead," Tooth said bluntly. Everyone turned to look at her in surprise. She wrapped her arms around herself, as a child would when frightened, but her face was expressionless. The look worried Bunnymund. "A gryphon came and dragged him into the fire. We can take him back to Burgess and bury him tomorrow, while we still plan today. It's only sunrise." She turned her head to the rising sun. It reflected oddly in her amethyst eyes, the mixing of the pink and purple in her irises. If Bunny tilted his head just right, it almost looked like fire.

Fire and blood.

* * *

No one was comfortable with riding shotgun with a corpse, even if it was Jack. They argued and bickered over who would have to sit with him in the back. Finally, it was decided that Bunny and Tooth would flank him on each side for the first half of the ride, then her and Sandy. Bunny only agreed to go first because he was worried that Tooth would have another breakdown. But as they road over Zoller Mountain, she was completely silent. Bunny glanced over Jack to look at her. She was gazing out on to the other side of the sleigh, her face thoughtful, twisting a lock of her dark hair absentmindedly.

Bunny couldn't help but stare at her. She looked so..._different_, when she was human. Her eyes were more slanted, with slightly bushy eyebrows. Not to mention her skin was a shade or two darker. And without her plumage of feathers, she looked tinier than ever. Her hair was a nice addition, though. It looked soft, and curled down to her hips. Not for the first time, he wondered why she had decided to stay like that. When the yetis had come to give her the serum to turn her back into a Guardian, she had refused to take it, saying that she didn't want to be a Guardian anymore. The others had been shocked and begged and pleaded with her to rethink her choice and come back to them. After almost an hour of arguing, she had finally agreed that she would drink the potion before the burial tomorrow. It was in her hand now, held between small, nimble fingers. In the back of his mind, Bunny wondered if she was going to go back on her word and refuse to drink it. He had a sudden flash of her breaking it between her fingers, throwing the capsule over the edge of the sleigh.

He shook his head, feeling silly. What was he thinking? She would never do that. Tooth had always been a man of her word, keeping true to promises as best she could. She would never do that. Or would she? Was her anger at Pitch and sorrow for Jack too great to overcome? Did she really believe that renouncing her title as Guardian would solve anything? Refusing to turn back into a fairy wouldn't take away her pain, or bring back Jack. Or maybe it was an act of defiance against Man in the Moon? She had always been a strong believer that MiM would come to save the day if all else failed. Maybe when Jack had told her that he had never done anything for him, she pointed the blame of his death at him.

So wrapped up in his thoughts, he almost missed Tooth talking to him. "I told him that Pitch would never hurt him again," she whispered.

He blinked, not quite catching her words. "What?"

"I told him that Pitch would never touch him again," she said louder, turning to look at him, a sad look on her face. "Back at the North Pole, when he had first woken up. I swore, on every tooth I have collected, every single memory inside them, that Pitch would never hurt him again." She shook her head. "And now it's because of me that he's dead," she whispered.

"What? No! No, it's not your fault, mate. We didn't know that it was a trap-"

"Yes, it is. He knew that it was a trap, no matter what he told you guys, or himself," she interrupted, looking at Jack. Her face tightened, but her eyes were clear. "But he went anyway. And he pushed me out of the way, when Pitch tried to kill me. That's how he got this." She lifted her hand and gently traced his ripped, bloodied sleeve, her fingertip barely brushing the fabric. Her fingers were surprising still. "But Jack didn't regret it. He didn't even seem to mind. He _laughed_. He just laughed when Pitch told him that he deserved it. He just laughed. Laughed and told him that it was worth it. That's how he got...this." This time, her hand trembled when she pointed to the part of Jack's stomach where he had been stabbed. Then she dropped it, and slid it back into her lap, looking down at her legs. "It is all my fault," she whispered.

Bunny didn't know what to say. In all retrospects, it _was _her fault. But he could never tell her that. Never in a million years. So instead, he stood up and walked over to the front of the sleigh, nodding at the sandman as he passed. Sandy got the message, and waddled to the back, giving Tooth a comforting pat on the thigh before taking Bunny's vacant seat.

"How is she doing?" North murmured as Bunny stood beside him.

"Depends. She isn't still crying and wailing, but she thinks that it's all her fault," he replied under his breath.

North sighed heavily. "I cannot blame her."

"What can we do?"

"Nothing. Just like with Jack, we cannot force her to heal mentally. With time, and with our cooperation, her heart will mend, and she will-"

"Bunny! North!" Tooth suddenly cried, interrupting their conversation. Bunny glanced over his shoulder, then gasped. Jack's body was glowing a chrysalis blue, shards of crystal floating in midair around him, the light centering from the wound in his stomach. The gash in his arm was faintly glowing, too. Tooth was standing besides Jack's body, one hand on his shoulder and the other on his thigh, as she stared in shock. Sandy was the opposite; he was jumping up and down, clapping his hands in excitement. As strange as it was, Bunnymund didn't have time to worry about the sandman's odd behavior. He hastily leaned away from North and jogged to the back of the sleigh, North hard on his heels.

"What happened?" he demanded as he slid to a stop besides Tooth.

"I don't know, me and Sandy were talking about what we should do for tomorrow and he just stared glowing!" she said hysterically. "I don't know what we said- or did- or what!"

"Hush! It is growing a-bigger!" North barked, pointing at the glow. It was indeed growing more and more larger. It overtook his entire body, encasing him in its luminous shine. The blood suddenly vanished, and the rips in his jacket started raveling backwards, as if resowing the tears. His eyes suddenly flicked open, and Tooth screamed. Where there should have been irises and pupils and even whites, his eyes were a light blue, a shade lighter than the one around him. The same color glowed in the inside of his mouth. The lights in his eyes and mouth shot out of his skull, pointing into the upwards sky like beams.

"What's going on?!" Bunny cried.

"It's the necklace!" Tooth exclaimed, pointing at it. The crystal pendant was blazing more brightly than the rest of him, the light almost hurting Bunnymund's eyes. She reached for it eagerly, but just when her hands closed around the crystal, the surrounding light was suddenly- and quite literally- _sucked _into the pendant, then, without a warning, released it in a ray of power, knocking back all of the surrounding Guardians. Tooth cried out as she was blown backwards, landing on North's stomach.

Jack's body suddenly bucked, his back arching, then, to everyone's growing shock, a gasp wrenched itself from his throat. His back relaxed as the glow in his eyes faded. They started blinking rapidly, the regular icy blue irises having returned. Then he groaned and doubled over, clutching his stomach. "Jack!" Tooth cried, a hint of surprise in her voice, as she pushed herself to her feet and hurried over to him. "Jack! Jack, are you-?"

He shook his head, his lips pressed in a tight line. He roughly pushed past her, to everyone's surprised, and hobbled towards the side of the sleigh. Everybody watched in silence, holding their breathe as he stumbled over to the edge, then hurled. When he was finally done vomiting, he slumped back on to the sleigh seats, his chest heaving. "Remind me," he gasped, "to never die and come back from the dead again."

Tooth was the first one to react; with a cry, she threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck so tight that they were almost constricting, then clasped his face between trembling hands. He saw tears forming in the corner of her eyes just before she bent her head and covered his mouth with his. He made a sound of surprise in the back of his throat, but met her lips, his arms instinctively going around her waist as he closed his eyes and leaned into her, forgetting the Guardians, forgetting everything.

It had been years since he had last kissed her; it had been decades. He softened the kiss, each touch their lips made a gentle caress against the skin. He could feel her heart thrumming against her own, her soft palms brushing against his face as her hands tangled themselves in his hair. He tasted the sweet blackberries with the dash of peppermint, the smell of wildflowers and jasmine in his nose. He realized, with a start, that she was crying. He pulled back and began to kiss the places where her tears had touched her skin, his lips running over her cheeks and eyelids. She tried to peck his face with her own as his head darted across her face, her lips barely skimming his skin. Each time they touched sent an electric current through his blood stream.

They finally pulled apart, breathing heavily, their lips red and swollen, their eyes locked only on each other. His gaze flicked across her face, trying to memorize each perfection and perfect imperfections on her face. What had he been thinking, staying in the land of the dead? How could he had even thought about losing this? The love and friendship that he had, the family and- screw it, how he could give up _Tooth? _

The other Guardians must have decided that their time together was over, because without a warning, they charged at them and jumped Tooth and Jack. He yelped as he was covered by various bodies, a painful weight on his knee and shoulder. He didn't know who was hugging who, or if he was hugging anybody willingly or not. There were so many cries and exclamations of relief he couldn't tell which from which. All he knew that he was been squished and squeezed until he felt like a crushed snail, and would swear that North had kissed his cheeks on supposed accident. But Jack couldn't help but smile his widest, grinning as everybody clamored to feel him, to make sure that he was real, that he was _alive. _The thought made him shiver. The fact that he had actually _died _seemed so surreal, something that had happened to him in a past life. Which, for all he cared, could have. It didn't matter now. He was with his family.

Finally, they all began to pull away, though still surrounding him on the other seats. Tooth was the only one still clinging to him, her arm firmly around his waist. When they had all settled down, she tugged anxiously at his sweater. "You're alive," she breathed, blinking her eyes rapidly. "_How?_"

"It's a long story," he admitted, running his hand through his hair.

"We have a long time," North offered.

"And we know it has to do with that sparkly, mate," Bunny added, pointing at his chest. Jack frowned, confused, then glanced down, and realized that he was talking about his necklace. It was still faintly shining, this time a whitish-blue, and by the time Jack had looked down at it, the light was fading away. "So, what happened?" he asked eagerly.

He opened his mouth, glancing at the other Guardians. North looked mildly curious, Bunny seemed a bit too eager, and Tooth was looking at him expectantly. But when his gaze landed on Sandy in the back, the sandman shook his head, a serious look on his normally cheerful features. _Don't tell them, _his face said. Jack's mouth closed. "I can't tell you," he announced, making everyone inhale gasps of surprise, except Sandy, who sighed in relief. "At least, not yet."

"Why the devil not?" Bunny demanded.

Jack lifted his eyes to meet the rabbit's gaze levelly. "I said I'll tell you. I promise. Just not right now."

Bunny looked like he was about to continue pestering him, but Tooth made a motion with her hands, signalling him _no. _She turned back to Jack, who was looking down at his necklace again. He held it up to his eyes, his thumb and forefinger holding it delicately before him, studying it intently. His eyebrows furrowed as he gazed at it. Suddenly, the crystal lit up again. It was only for a few seconds, but it erect more gasps from everyone as it glowed, then returned to its plain demeanor.

"О, мой! What was that?" North exclaimed.

Jack's mouth was slightly open as he shrugged and shook his head in confusion. "I don't know," he said honestly. "I don't know."

* * *

By the time Charon had returned to the bank of the Acheron, she was already beginning to flicker like a light bulb. As he approached her, he could see the meadows behind her where she was supposed to be before she reappeared. "Did he get back safely?" she asked worriedly.

"Aye, of course. I always got ya back safe and sound," he grinned as he pulled the boat up against the bank. "I suspect dat be him 'ere," he added, pointing a long finger at her chest. She glanced down to see her crystal glowing, bright as the sun.

"Okay, good," she said, nodding her head.

"But, miss, 'ere's one thing I don't a-quite understand," Charon said, resting his cheek on the pole as he looked down at her. "Why did ya tell him that ya were staying here? Ya only 'ere cause he is. You ain't even dead. Doesn't he know dat you asleep in ya bed right now, dat as soon as he goes back, you go back?"

She shook her head, flickering even faster now. "It's for the best, Charon. I want him to be safe, and we all know that being with me, or even knowing me, isn't safe," she told him, her voice fading and becoming louder as she vanished and reappeared.

"Ya have a point," he admitted. "But why leave the poor boy in da dark? He was mighty fine," he added, winking at her.

She rolled her eyes. "I believe you missed the part where he and I clearly stated that he had a girlfriend."

He laughed. "Ya keep on a-rovin' like dat, yer gonna end up alone when you stay 'ere for good. But I won't force ya. Besides, he'll know soon enough."

"Uh huh. Save that for my next appointment, Charon. By the way, when is my next appointment?" she asked.

"You got a while. In three years," he answered.

"Okay. Thank you, Charon. I'll see you in three years!" She began to wave as she faded away for the last time. "_Gamok!_"

And with that, she was gone.

* * *

The Atlantean had always noticed, when she woke up, she woke up silently. In movies and books, she had always seen the actors and actresses wake up with a start when coming back from adventurous dreams or nightmares, bolting upright in their beds, or even opening their eyes very suddenly. But she always reached her consciousness with her eyes closed, whether she was coming back from an adventure or a regular dream. And when she did, she was aware of everything. Today, she could tell it was still early morning, possibly even before dawn. Everyone was still lying peacefully in their beds, immersed in their dreams. On school days, the softness of her bed and the weight of her comforter pinning her down would distract her, pleading for her not to go. On other days, she would expand her senses, and would hear the sound of her mother making the best pancakes and eggs downstairs, her brothers arguing upstairs, her sister ironing her hair, straightening the crinkles and curls in her hair that the Atlantean thought were actually very pretty. Actually, most of her sister was pretty. Big blue eyes, slender face, high cheekbones, full lips, a small waist, fair, unblemished skin, and a rather full pack on her chest and behind. She could perfectly understand why boys stared. But what they found in her bad attitude, she could never tell.

She sighed, rolling on to her side in her bed, not opening her eyes. She wanted to savor the sweet senses of the morning bliss for a little while longer. Her dad would tease her and call her his little bedbug, declaring proudly how much she was like him; her father would scorn and scold and call her lazy. Though she would have killed to have the latter, she knew that Turlock wouldn't come by until her father(Neptune, how she hated having to call him that)had gone on his business trip to the _Nenataku, _or the Forgotten Valley, which was tomorrow. _I'll survive, _she decided._ Now this family, on the other_ _hand..._

Well, nothing she could do about it at the moment. The only thing she could do was see how much she had carried back from her spirit trip. Sighing, she sat upright and opened her eyes, which moved more difficult than anticipated, her eyelids sticky with sleep. Yawning, she rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand. Between rubs, something caught her eye. Removing her hand, she looked down, then her eyes widened. Her pendant was _still _shining, as brightly as a star, too. Except it wasn't the same shade of blue that she had become accustomed to. It was more lighter, whiter, the color of a frozen lake, of frost patterns on the trees. Which could only mean..._Oh, crap._

She reached to yank off her comforter, then hesitated. Her mother would want to know about this. The Atlantean got on to her knees, reaching up with her right hand, and knocked against the ceiling, grateful, not for the first time, that she had asked her mom to install her bed only four or five feet below the ceiling, though then it was because she could get a better view of the backyard and the valley from her window.

She knocked three times. _The mind of the awoken is troubled._

For a minute or two, she waited, hoping that this was one of the nights that her mother slept lightly. But no knock replied. Just when she was considering knocking again, four light taps came back.

_Tis' be the darkness of a nightmare, or the woes and sorrows of reality?_

She tilted her head to the side, a thoughtful look on her face, then replied with one tap, something she hadn't done in almost three years.

_The troubled believe that the woes and the darkness are one.  
_

The response was immediate. Two knocks responded before the shuffling of feet on the carpet in the floor above her.

_Do not fear, my child, for I am here to protect._

Nodding in satisfaction, she threw off her covers and leaped out of bed, using the smooth elm wood of the bed post to propel her. It was still dark, and she accidentally collided into her desk, erecting a jolt of pain up her knee. Cursing as she hobbled across the room, she went inside of her bathroom. She didn't bother flicking on the lights; the candles that she had placed in the holds last night were still quivering on the wax, though they grew bright when she walked past.

When she reached the opposite end of the bathroom, her pendant still flickering, she pressed her palms into the sharp side of the marble ledge where the sinks were, welcoming the feeling of the cool stone in her hands. Sighing, she lifted her gaze up, meeting the eyes of herself in the mirror. For a thirteen-year-old, everyone agreed that she didn't look her age. When not put into a smooth mask, her face was already filled with lines of worry and long years of fighting that didn't match her age. Her mother had less "worry-lines" than her. Not to mention she had the look of a war veteran. Scars danced along her bare arms, which the candlelight illuminated seductively. She knew that if people looked closely enough, they could see the haunted look that her lifestyle had left. Her hands clenched around the marble stone, ignoring the sharp sting of pain in her palms, then relaxed. She knew that she could tell somebody, that she didn't want to fight anymore, that it was beginning to take its toll on her. But she couldn't do that; she was one the top five fighters in the country, and certainly the youngest. The rest of her mess, when they weren't jeering about her "attitude" and "demonic ways", would all laugh and say that she would just as weak as they had first made her out to be.

Of course, she hadn't looked anything like she did now. As she peered intently at her reflection, she noticed that her hair was significantly longer than when she was seven; when pulled back into a ponytail, it tickled her bottom, instead of her shoulders. The hereditary circles beneath her eyes were deeper. And she was certainly more muscular than she had been back then. Just looking at herself, in her normal nighttime wear of a white cami and plain black gypsy pants, they coiled underneath her bronze skin like a snake, easily visible even if she wasn't flexing. She avoided looking down at her chest, knowing that no matter how much more grown she was than other girls at her school, it would be incomparable to her sister's bosom.

_Then why bother? _she shot at herself.

Groaning, and angry at herself for having tricked herself into this, she rubbed her temples, faintly noticing that her necklace was still glowing. Just then, the door swung open, and her mother jogged into the room. "Simmy!" she panted as she came into the bathroom. "What's wrong? What's happened?"

Not saying a word, she turned around, facing Eno. Her mother's face went slack when her eyes landed on the faintly shining necklace. Her mouth opened and closed as she visibly struggled to find words. "Simone...You found your match? But...we thought yours had been destroyed. _How?"_

She ran a hand through her white hair. "It's a long story," she admitted.

"Well, we have a while," she reminded her. "What happened?"

She glanced up at her. "Think you could brew us some SleepyTime tea?" she asked hopefully. "It _is_ my favorite."

Eno puffed up her cheeks, then blew out the air, shaking her head as she smiled. "You just love the chamomile and mint, don't you?"

"Aw, Mom, you know me so well," she teased.

She laughed, wrapping an arm around her daughter's shoulders and pulling her close to her. Against her mother, she could smell everything she loved, on the body of one being: the ocean, the salt of the Dead Sea, freshly-chopped green grass, and most importantly, the scents from the herbal garden. Not for the first time, she wondered if she just smelled these things because she loved her mother so much. "It's not because I know you," she said, resting her cheek on her daughter's head. "I just know my Simone."

* * *

That was quick.

Well, I'm going to make a final chapter. Yay for me! :D

Question: would you guys prefer me to stick in a lemon in it between Tooth and Jack? speak now or forever hold your peace! And I'm serious. Ten thumbs up says yes; don't reach that limit, no sex scene for you. I know a couple of you guys have been begging me for it. -.-

Can you guys believe that when I started this story, I had no intention of any of this? The rape, the rescue, the recovery, the battle, or death? I just wanted Jack to go to Karaoke Night, practice for the Winter Concert, and then go to the event. I still have the first draft of it, just sitting all lonesome in my documents. !HINT HINT! I guess the story would have only been about twenty chapters less if I did. But I want your honest opinion: did you guys prefer this version? Or would you have rather me have taken the original way?

But don't message me! That review button down there looks like it would like to be told the answer as well! :D

* * *

For anybody who cares, Simone is an original character of mine. I made her up after finishing a story I wrote when I was eight at the age of eleven. It was originally about her mother, Enomis, called **_The Chronicles o__f_ _A__t__lantis_ **(Yeah, I know, I bit off the title of The Chronicles of Narnia. But I was eight!) It was about how she came to find out she was an Atlantean, then engaged in the wars to protect the city(not by Pitch Black, but by a series of alien races), found out she was part of an extinct race of Atlantean, blah blah blah. Took six books and over four-hundred pages EACH. Then I came up with a separate series about her life in the first few after she got married(not a very happy series). Then I made a separate story for her youngest(out of a set of quadruplets)daughter, who you have already met. :D But anyway, yeah, I decided that I would intertwine ROTG and **_The Chronicles of Atlantis_ **so that I could give you a personality that NEW and FRESH and UNEXPECTED. Therefore, I've decided to go on with the sequel. :D

Which means, I have to get this story up and running before June 12th.

Crap.


	27. Epilogue

Sorry for the late first part of the final chapter! And I have a really good excuse: my computer broke. It wasn't my fault, either; my mischievous kitten(aka SATAN) decided that she would knock my laptop off of my dresser when I was about halfway though the story. So while I'm waiting for it to come out of the repair shop, I've been using my sister's. You can guess how that went. -.-

Should probably say this now: *Clears throat* This chapter would probably be(pardon me) shit without my good friend Screamindivr145! He/she showed me how to write a proper sex scene, because apparently mine sucked. Everybody give him/her a round of applause, people! * Receives a standing ovation after reading lemon*

Yep! You guys got it! You get your stinkin' lemon!

And, since you guys had to wait so long for it, I give you a sneak peak of the sequel at the end of the chapter. You'll see it at the end.

I own nothing.

* * *

Jack Frost stared at the blank page of his notebook, an artist's pencil in one hand, his other clutching the top of the sketch book. It was as empty and bare as the front side of the moon, save for little ridges that would give personality and style when written upon it. But for now, it was blank. _Not for long,_ Jack thought. Biting his lips, he lifted his pencil, then squeezed his eyes shut as he conjured a picture in his mind. He made sure he memorized each and every detail.

_Let the memory, the sense and feel, run through your arms and legs. Remember._

When he had the picture imprinted on the back of his eyelids, he opened his eyes, lowered the pencil, and began to draw. As his pencil started to skate across the paper, he reflected on the past events of the last month or so.

Deciding he would skip over his return from the land of the dead, he thought about Tooth. He recalled very clearly when Tooth had finally taken the serum to turn her back into a human. He let himself float back into the memory as he sketched across the page. Jack had told North to drop the two off at his home, assuring the others that she would take the drink. They had been in that same room, in the same spot where he was now, on the bed.

_"You ready?" Jack asked, noticing her biting her lip worriedly, her fingers playing with the fringes on her white petticoat. When she didn't reply, he reached over and tenderly pushed her long black hair bangs out of her face, and gave her an encouraging smile. She returned the smile hesitantly, and nodded, a look of determination forming on her face. Jack silently handed her the tube, reading her emotions as they rolled across her face as she twirled the tube in between her fingers. Repulsion. Regret. Hope. Fear. "Hey," he whispered. She turned her head to him hesitantly. He cupped her cheek with one hand, running his thumb across the skin as he met her gaze. "It's gonna be okay," he assured her, smiling. When she didn't reply, he reached over and kissed her softly. She leaned into him, her palm pressing into his hip. Jack gently pulled away, still holding her cheek, and pressed their foreheads and cheeks together. Their breaths mixed together in an icy and warm cloud. He could feel her shivering where their skin touched, his body feeling flushed when they touched. Which reminded him..._

_He abruptly pulled away, his free hand curling around the one that held the potion. "You need to take it," he reminded her._

_"I know," she sighed, leaning into his palm. Her eyes flickered up to his. "But I think I'm ready."_

_"Good." He grinned broadly as he leaned away from her, his hand sliding away from her hand. "Because I want my tooth fairy back."_

_She laughed, lifting her face away from his palm. The sound was like sleigh bells on Christmas. "Okay. Here I go." She twisted open the lid and raised the glass vial to her lips. The pink, sparkly fluid slid down the vial and disappeared down her throat. Her body shuddered, and she coughed, covering her mouth with the back of her hand. Jack hesitated, then reached over and patted her back as she continued to cough violently. Without a warning, she burst into a flurry of feathers. _

_Jack yelped as multicolored feather flew around him, a couple hitting him in the face. He swatted at the air, trying to bat the feathers out of the way as he attempted to look at Tooth. She was still sitting on the bed, her eyes wide with amazement as she gazed at her feathered arms and legs that kicked out adorably from under her white dress. The tip__s of her translucent wings peeked out from the back of her shirt. The golden feather that he had begun to sorely miss adorned the top of her headdress. When she lifted her eyes to meet his, he grinned broadly. "There's my favorite Guardian," he teased._

_She laughed. "I have to admit, I missed this. But, um, could you help me with-?" she gestured to the back of her dress and shirt. He quickly moved behind her to undo the buttons and zipper. As soon as he helped her shed the unwanted clothing off, she shrieked in happiness, propelling herself into the air, and began to zoom around the room. He laughed as she practically bounced off of the walls, the smile on her face so wide he thought her face would split. _

He chuckled as he flipped the pencil over and erased a mistake. He had rarely seen her on that level of happiness. He didn't know why, but it just made him want to do special things like that for her all the time, if he was going to get a reaction like that out of her. Good thing he lived forever. He would have plenty of time to figure out what made her the happiest person in the world.

Speaking of happiest person in the world...

Jack set down the sketch book and pencil in his lap, and stretched his torso over his bed, reaching for something on the dresser. _Let's see how Hiccup's doing._ His fingers quickly found what he was looking, and pulled the folded-up letter sheet into his lap. The Terrible Terror had delivered it last night, but he had been too tired to read then. He nimbly unfolded it, and held the letter in one hand up to eye-level.

_Dear Jack,_

_I know, I know, I haven't written to you in forever. But it's been really busy over here and I haven't had time to write. You must be ready to freeze me into an icicle by now. So, to appeal to your better nature and to _not _end up as an ice statue, let's start with you._

_How are you and your new job going? When I got your last letter, I have to say that I was really surprised that you became a Guardian. I thought you hated them! Well, not hated. Maybe strongly disliked? Then again, you _are _good with kids. I remember the last time you came to visit the village - which, I might add, was almost a year __ago - and all of the children just loved_ _you. They really did like that sledding trip that you took them on, though Agatha's mom wasn't very happy when she found out she lost a tooth. But they had a lot of fun. But I guess with being a Guardian, it's a bit different. I mean, you can't just have fun with them, you have to protect them, too._

_Speaking of which, has Pitch come back? I know it's only been eight or nine months, but the way you put him in your last letter makes him sound really determined to come back to power. I know, I know, you're pretty sure you took care of him, that the Nightmares practically dragged him back to his underground hole screaming(which seems pretty harsh)and that he probably won't come back out for another couple hundred years or something, but I'm just saying you never know._

_What else, what else? Oh, yeah! That new kid you met, Jamie, what's he like? You weren't really specific when you mentioned him in your letter. All you said was, "He's a really bright kid and still believes in the Guardians!" Yeah, REAL detailed. And if you're trying to make me jealous, it's not gonna work._

_How are things going with you and the tooth fairy? This was the second time you surprised me during your last letter. First, you join the Guardians. I could have sworn you always said that they were a bunch of old guys hiding out and bribing kids so that they would still believe in them. Then you say that you've fallen in love with the tooth fairy! Well, I guess I can understand that, after sending me a picture of her. Was that really necessary? But I can see why you like her. That, and the long list of all of her physical and emotional traits that took up, might I add, THREE whole pages. And was the breakdown of her feather texture and the way her arms and hands feel on you really necessary? I swear, when you fall in love, it's worse than Astrid's yaknog._

_In response to your questions from last time, I'm doing fine. There was a bout of whooping cough in the village, but I didn't get it, thank the gods. Unfortunately, my dad did. So I had to take care of him AND Globber! It only lasted a week, but they can get REALLY demanding when it comes down to it. Wait, why am I telling you this? You should know from experience. Remember that time they found out you could freeze water and they had you freeze every pond in Berk so that we could go ice-skating? By the way, I'm still angry at you for not letting me go. I mean, what's the big deal with me going ice-skating? I'm not gonna fall in or anything._

_My "fiery lizard with wings", as you seem determined to call him, is doing great. We're still looking for other Nightfuries, but so far, he's the only one. You should see his face, whenever mating season comes and all the dragons leave and he has to stay behind. I just thought it was because he couldn't fly on his own, so I tried to make him a new tail for Snoggletog so that he could fly whenever he wanted to. Needless to say, he broke it. Turn out that he would rather fly with me. He's just amazing sometimes. You know that you two are my best friends, right? Well, you guy__s and Merida and Rapunzel._

_________Oh, and Rapunzel want__s to know why you didn't come to her wedding back in August. I don't think __she believed me when I told her that it wa__s probably too hot. That _is_________________ the rea__son, right? Or were you too bu__sy __swooning over the tooth fairy to come to one of your be__st friend__s' wedding? You know how long it wa__s for her and Eugene to put it together! She almost______________________ postponed______________________ it, but we managed to convince her in the end. Jack, you ____________________________should have been there. When ____________________________she walked down the aisle____________________________, ____________________________she looked ____________________________so...beautiful. Okay, I ____________________________said it. She looked absolutely__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________stunning._ Her hair ___________________________still hasn't____________________________ begun to grow back yet, but they ____________________________smoothed it back ____________________________so that it didn't look ____________________________so ____________________________spiky anymore. And the dress______________________________________________________she had on wa____________________________s perfect for her, all white and __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________silky. Everyone in the room wa__________________________________________________________________________________________s gawking at her. Except Merida. You know how __she i__s. But __she looked beautiful. You would have loved to __see her in it. _

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Merida'__s been vi__siting me a lot lately. She SAYS it's because we should all stay in touch, in case an enemy decides to strike at us. But I don't believe her. Well, not really. For one, she hasn't visited you(though that's probably because she hates your guts), or Rapunzel besides her wedding day. Only me. And besides, Gothel, Mor'du, Alvin, and now Pitch aren't a threat to us anymore. So I don't know why __she come__s. All we ever do i__s go out for riding, or exploring Berk and Dunbroch. And she's even __been forcing me to learn how to __shoot a bow and arrow. I can hit an apple off of Toothle__s__s'__s head from half a mile away, thanks to her. I mean, __she's fun and all, and it'__s really nice __spending time with her- by the way, did you know s__he can read and __speak Latin?-______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________but I ju______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________st don't under__stand why __she'__s doing it. But it'__s a pretty welcoming di__straction, from the dragon training and the Outca__st and...A__strid._

_Astrid and I broke up. Yeah, I know. Big surprise, right? I think you said once that you couldn't wait for the wedding invitation. I don't know what happened. We were all fine, then one day, I just...that spark that we had was gone. I tried to get it back. Kept it up for about a month, but...we just fell apart. We started arguing more, I was avoiding the village more and more, and then one day, we just called it off. I think she's dating Snoutlout now. We're still friends, though._

_Don't feel bad, it was bound to happen sooner or later. Beside, I don't have time for a serious relationship. For some reason, a bunch of our ships are disappearing at sea. My dad sent out a couple people on dragons to go check it out. Only one dragon came back. And he didn't have his rider. There was blood on his back and half of his tail was bitten off. It was amazing that he made it back at all. I checked out the tooth marks, and the only thing I can tell is that they aren't dragon teeth. At least, none that I've ever seen before. My dad put up a ban that says we aren't allowed to go past the coast of Hopeless for fishing or trading, but he's given me the task of trying to figure out what's happening._

_After a couple months, what I've found is small, but very, very crucial:_

_-Raw fish meat that seems to have been partially digested_

_-A few scales, but not a dragon's. The texture is way different, made more for the ocean than the sky._

_-A ripped-off chunk of flesh that the dragon who came back from the attack brought. Looks like part of a tail._

_The only thing that I can come up with is that there is something else out there, something that Vikings haven't discovered yet. Or maybe we have, and we just haven't realized it. Maybe it's one of those sea-serpent, Atlantean things that Globber goes on about. But whatever it is, it's definitely reptilian, with curved teeth about half as long as an oar. It has tough scales, perfect for the harshness of the sea, and is about as big as one of our largest ships, if not bigger. My dad's going to send another search party with ships for bait tomorrow. This time, I'm going with them. I don't know whether to be scared or excited. I could be killed! But we'll finally figure out what's attacking us, and maybe even put a stop to it. I don't know. _

_Well, I better get ready for bed. It's already late, and I'll need my strength for whatever happens tomorrow. Would it be too girly for me to say I miss you? Because I do. I hate to admit it, but I really miss you. If I'm still alive after tomorrow, can you try and visit? That would be great. It really would. Well, like I said before, it's getting late. I have to go to sleep. I bid thee goodnight!_

_Your Friend,  
Hiccup Haddock Horrendous III_

Jack exhaled loudly, shaking his head, a smile teasing at the corners of his lips. "I miss you, too, buddy." He remembered all the things that Hiccup had mentioned in the letter as if they had happened yesterday. Tartar, the little girl who lost a tooth, had hair as fair as his own, and eyes the color of spring grass. He still wasn't sure how he let Stoick talk him into freezing the all the lakes- he had almost collapsed in exhaustion afterwards- but it was well worth it. He figured that he should probably tell Hiccup the real reason for why he didn't let him ice-skating, and decided that he would tell him on his next visit.

He fingered the edge of the paper thoughtfully, trying to figure out what to make about Hiccup's situation. He agreed that it was probably a sea serpent that they hadn't discovered yet. But an Atlantean? He doubt they were _that _bloodthirsty- he suspected that that girl had been the exception- but then again, what did he know? He had met one, but that didn't make him an expert. And it had only been for a brief amount of time.

As he set the letter back on the dresser and began to sketch again, he thought about the girl. After he had came back from...wherever the heck he had been(Jack was still very much confused about the exact location where his spirit had been), there had been no sign of the Atlantean since. His necklace hadn't glowed in weeks, even when he tried to reach out and "feel her", as she had done to him. When he did, he felt a sort of wall blocking him, like a barricade. After a week of trying, he had finally given up, and accepted the fact that she had stayed in the Fields of Asphodel, giving up her life for his for the third and final time. When he did, he had fallen into a deep depression that was still lingering with him. When nobody had heard from him in three days, everybody had immediately rushed over to his house to find him laying on his bed, his arm and leg dangling off the side as he stared aimlessly at the wall.

He supposed that he shouldn't have reacted so strongly, but it seemed like the reasonable thing to do at the time. Tooth and Sandy stayed with him for a few days, coaxing him into doing the simple tasks that he couldn't seem to manage to do himself, like eating and talking. North and Bunny were supposed to stay, too, but North had to stay at the North Pole to celebrate his wedding anniversary with Mrs. Claus- or Mrs. North, Jack was still confused on which one to call her by, since people called her by both. And Bunny was still irritated with him for not telling them how he came back from the dead, though Jack suspected it was more than that.

He knew that Bunnymund had a crush on Tooth, though he was with Cassandra, and that one of the main reasons why he acted the way he did around Jack was because of Tooth's affection for him. Dying- and giving his permission to make a move on his girlfriend- must have made him feel like a kid who found out Christmas coming back. Probably him coming back- no matter how much Bunny cared for him- must have been a really powerful blow. Jack had sat him down a day or two after everything returned to normal and tried to talk to him about it**. **

_Boy, was that awkward, _he thought, shuddered. When his body trembled, he accidentally made a mistake on the drawing. Rolling his eyes and sighing, he flipped the pencil in between his fingers and tried to erase it without smudging the pencil mark. He knew that he had the attitude of an experienced artist with his drawing(_everything must be perfect!)_but he couldn't help it. Besides, it was supposed to be a mental exercise suggested by Sandy when he had learned of his depressive state, to draw out his pains in a series of drawings. Well, he could easily summarize it into one, and he had told Sandy that. The Sandman, when he found out what it was, decided that he would just write out a couple of false drawings, as decoys for the other Guardians, and save the real one for last. He remembered when he had confronted the Sandman about why he had to keep the Atlantean a secret, the guilt that had been gnawing at him finally pushing him to the edge.

_"I don't get it," Jack said, staring out into the ocean from the cliff that they were on. The __sun wa__s beginning to __set, the __sky tinged pink and orange._ He drew in his knees and tucked them under his chin. His staff laid motionless beside him. "Why do I have to keep her a secret? She _saved u__s, __she __saved Tooth. She __saved_ me_."_ _Sandy, who wa__s __standing be__side him, hand__s behind hi__s back,_ _sighed __silently, __shaking hi__s head. He fla__shed a __serie__s of __sand __sign__s above hi__s head __so fa__st that Jack wa__s ju__st barely able to catch them all. "The Guardian__s...would be in danger if they found out that Atlanti__s didn't really __sink?" he tried. The __Sandman __shook hi__s head again, and redid the __sign__s, thi__s time a bit __slower. "Wait,_ Atlantis _would be in danger if the other Guardian__s found out? Why?" This time, when he spoke, he spoke in Jack's mind, something he had been doing recently when he wanted to say something in private.  
_

Atlantis is a very old continent. Old and powerful. The force that your friend talks about has been here since the dawn before time. Before Man in the Moon, before Pitch and I were even thought of. It is the source of all energy in the universe, and many have tried to steal it for their own selfish reasons. But as time passed on, the energy soon grew a conscience of its own. When Atlantis sunk, it was because the Source had realized its subjects and itself would not be safe unless it was thought to be lost, gone to another dimension or place in the universe. And it worked. There have been few times that outsiders have found of its existence. But they were quickly taken care of. No one above water, unless they are an Atlantean themselves, knows that Atlantis lives on.

_"But then how did you?" Jack asked, turning to him._

I didn't. I suspected it, for over eight thousand years. A large supply of my sand was going somewhere, on no continent that I could see. But I wasn't sure. But when Toothiana gave you the necklace that you are wearing now, I saw it glow. And that is how I knew._  
_

_They were silent for a while, listening to sound of the wind and the gentle crashing of the waves against the sandy shore below them. Jack finally broke the silence. "The Atlantean- she told me that her mother knew Pitch. That means that Pitch knew it still existed."_

_The sandman frowned. _Did she say that?_  
_

_"Yeah. Pitch recognized her- or, at least, her mother. They're apparently looked exactly alike."_

This worries me greatly. If Pitch knows about the Source, then, given enough power, he could take over Atlantis, and destroy the world with its energy, and all the other realms along with it.

_______Jack glanced at him. "But...i__sn't he dead? The Atlantean pu__shed him over the edge of the ca__stle, dragged him into the fire. Tooth and I- we __saw it with our own eye__s." When he didn't reply, he turned back to the ocean. "Pitch i__s dead," he repeated. She killed him."_

_________Sandy __________________shook hi__________________s head __________________sadly. _You can't kill fear, Jack.

_______________________________________________________________You can't kill fear, Jack._ The words had been so eerily exact to what Pitch had said almost year ago. They had raised the hairs on the back of his neck, and as he remembered them now, they did once again. Lost in the memory, Jack didn't realize his fingers were clenching the pencil tighter and tighter until suddenly- _crack! _He glanced down to see the broken halves of the pencil in between his fingers. _________________  
_

"Great," he sighed, tossing the fragments into the bin beside him, and grabbed another pencil from the packet. "Just did the exact opposite of what I was supposed to do. Nice job, Frost."

Well, at least he was done with the drawing. He set the pencil back down in the pack and blew the excess lead and eraser shavings off of the page, then, carefully pinching the crease of the top of the paper, ripped it out of the notebook. He studied it, his eyes narrowed critically.

_I think the cavalry's here! __  
_

He seemed to have gotten most of the details, including the curve of her lips and the anime-cartoon shape of her eyes, which he had expected to be harder. They squinted back playfully at him, a twinkle in her eyes.

_Now, can you see me? _

He had made her forehead a little too large, but he could easily cover that up by making more of her hair sweep into her face, but for some reason, he didn't want to. He preferred to see her face. He could have done a better job on the ears, he supposed, but having only seen them once or twice, they would have to suffice.

_There's no time to waste! Go!_

The broadness of her shoulders and power in the muscles came out better than he had hoped, the dress taking none of the toughness she held. Her sword was slung over her shoulder casually, her other Roman weapons hanging from her belt in their sheaths, something he had made up. But he could easily imagine her wearing it.

_Bleh. Puppy love. Well, while you two sit here and cuddle, _I'll _be out there fighting. _

He drew his finger across her cheek, imagining that he could feel each freckle on her skin. Her eyebrows were raised in mild surprise, the left corner of her mouth turned up into a hesitant, but true smile.

_If we get out of this alive, I promise I'll explain everything._

_If we get out of this alive-_

_Alive._

Something inside of him broke; the pain of having shattered glass shot into his chest would not be enough to describe the ache in he felt in his heart. The only thing comparable in pain was when he had been tortured, but now, he wondered if it was possible to compare such different pains. It was ridiculous, he knew, to have grown so attached to someone he had just met, but he couldn't help it. The reminder that he was the cause of her death was a punch in the gut with every breath he took. With a hoarse cry, he dropped the paper and covered his face with his hands, trying to stop the oncoming flood of tears. But they never came. Was it possible that, maybe, after these past few months, he had no tears left to go on?

_I cannot go on the boat with you. I must stay here._

His body shuddered as each sob tore itself from his chest, each one louder than the last. The pain in his chest grew, spreading through all of his body. It stung and ached like the sun was pressing its very hardest, trying to destroy him, piece by piece. He tried to open his mouth, but something kept it firmly shut. He swallowed hard, and tried again. "'Tell this soul," he gasped, "'with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn, it shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels name Lenore. Clasp a rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore.'"

"'Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."'" Jack looked up in surprise at the sound of the voice, and blinked through the thick haze of tears to see Tooth hovering the doorway, looking uncertain if she should be there or not. He felt another dull pang in his chest when he remained another young girl with that very expression. "_The Raven, _by Edgar Allen Poe."

"Tooth," he said dully. "I didn't hear you come in."

"I wouldn't have expected you to." She hesitated, then inquired, "May I come in?"

He nodded. "Yeah, go ahead."

She flew slowly- well, slowly for Tooth- into the room. She placed something on his desk, then flittered over to him, sitting next to him on his bed. She reached over and drew her hand along his cheek, her fingers softer than snow. Without saying anything, he leaned his face into her palm, and closed his eyes. She gently stroked his skin with her fingers. "Jack, what's wrong?" she whispered. When he didn't answer, she glanced down, and saw the picture. She picked it up with her other hand, her eyebrows furrowing as she studied it. "Jack, who is this?" she demanded. He still didn't reply. She glanced down at the drawing, then, with a shock, recognized the girl in the drawing. "Wait, a second, this was the girl who saved us at Hohenzollern Castle! Jack, do you know who she is?"

He only shook his head, squeezing his eyes tighter. "I can't."

"You can't what, Jack?"

"I can't tell you."

"Why?"

"Because of what might happen. If I do." He drew in a shuddering breath, his body trembling with him. If she continued to persist, he would have give in to her one way or another. "Please don't make me, Tooth," he begged.

"I won't," she promised, setting down the sheet of paper on the dresser, and clasped his face in both hands pressed her lips against his forehead in a tender kiss.

"Thank you, Tooth," he whispered as she pulled away, her hands slipping from his face. She gave him a soft smile, though her skin around her eyes were still crinkled with worry. He felt a sudden urge to wipe away those lines; without thinking, he leaned in and kissed her full on the mouth, hard, his eyes fluttering close as he lost himself in her. She made a muffled sound, but didn't protest. His hands slid up her feathered body, lingering on her hips and the space just above the ribs. Tooth sighed into his mouth as he pulled her into him, her fists balling up in his sweater. Not hesitating in the least, he flicked his tongue in between her lips, and she parted them, granting him entrance. Their tongues met together in the caverns of their mouths, and they danced the most ancient and primitive of dances. She moaned, rubbing her pelvis against his own.

A burning flash of hot desire coursed through his body all of the blood in his veins shooting straight down to his groin. He had a sudden flash of their sweaty bodies tangled together, his body buried into hers, pleasure shooting through him as she cried out his name. He imagined pinning her down, kissing her, fondling her, making her whisper dirty things in his ear. The thought startled him so much he yanked his head away from her, breathing heavily through his nose. "I shouldn't have done that," he panted.

"But you did." By the sound of her voice, she was out of breath, too. She was looking at him expectantly, as if waiting him to make a decision.

"I know, I know." He lifted his eyes to meet hers, and something happened. That same desire that he had just felt flashed in her own eyes. That same hot, passionate, carnal desire. Their lips crashed together, their mouths moving hungrily in sync, pressing against each other so hard it was more like eating each other's face than kissing. Their bodies pressed and rubbed against each other, the friction between them set ablaze, the space between them too far away, each inch between them suddenly sinful.

The small fire in the pit in of his stomach was beginning burn, and only she could put it out. His hands gripped her arms tightly, trying to pull her into that nonexistent space between them as he scooted them to the edge of the bed. She clung to him, her legs wrapped around his waist as he moved her so that she was sitting on the edge, him in front of her. He slid his mouth from hers and buried his face in her neck as he placed his hands on her hips and experimentally rubbed his hips against hers. The reply he got was a guttural moan as she threw her head and arms back to steady herself, only barely keeping her up. He lifted his head from her neck and put his face close to hers, his lips ghosting across her own, but not quite kissing her yet. Each breath she took that he inhaled was coal to the flames inside him.

Her small fingers were suddenly wounded in his sweater, and she pulled him down with her as she fell against his bed so that he was bending over her. It suddenly became too hot; he fumbled for the bottom of his sweatshirt and ripped it off, feeling that if he had kept it on a moment longer he would have caught on fire. He welcomed the cool air that slid across his chest, and breathed a sigh of relief. He felt cool fingertips rest upon his pectorals, and looked down to see Tooth running her fingers across his skin in fascination, studying the thin layer of cord and muscle. The look on her face was simply magical, the way her eyes widened in delight when focused upon his chest. It prompted him to speak up.

"Tooth?"

"Hmm?"

He took a deep breath. "I think I'm ready."

Her gaze snapped away from his body to his eyes, her own widened in disbelief. "Jack, are you sure?"

He nodded. That want for her- no, that _need _for her, was so strong and powerful, he could barely keep himself from taking her right there. How could it be doubted? All he wanted to do was to lie her down, to take her, to pleasure her. He probably wouldn't do as good of a job as the men in romance novels did, but the fierce longing in him, to see the look of completion and utter bliss on her face, would drive him close enough to home. And the look she was giving was pretty damn close.

Tooth bit her lip. "Do you know what to do?"

"Well, when a tooth fairy and an ice spirit love each other very much-"

"Jack!"

"Not really," he admitted. He had a very scattered idea, but he doubt that would suffice. The books weren't really all that detailed with how it was actually done.

"Well, then this is where _I _take over." Before he knew it, she had yanked him on to the bed with her, and rolled them over, setting herself above him. He struggled to sit up, but she pressed her hand against her chest and pushed him back down. Her fingers spread themselves across his skin, each one pressing lightly into him. She leaned down and kissed the side of his cheek, her lips like satin. "For your first lesson," she whispered in his ear, her voice husky and provocative, "you need to memorize the layout of a woman's body." As she spoke, he noticed the feathers along her sides and down her front rippling, like waves on the water.

He squinted(_yeah, I'm gonna have to go the optometrist soon, _he thought), then his eyes widened as they began to melt into one another, before they slid away from the front, receding all the way up to her knees and elbows and neck and back, so that her body, the slightly lighter tan skin, was visible to him. He bit his tongue as he suppressed a gasp. Tooth was _packed_. Each breast she had was almost the size of a large grapefruit, the brown areolas as big as half-dimes, her nipples pert erect, standing proudly at attention. _How the hell did those feathers keep that held up?_ Her tawny breasts swayed ever so tauntingly as she moved, and he forced himself to look away, to stare at something else. _Look down! _He cast his eyes downward, and accidentally landed on to her hairless crotch. _Not that far down! _He settled on looking at her abdomen, afraid that if he caught another look at her breasts, he could never turn back.

She snaked her body above him, her wings fluttering gently as they retracted into her back, and settled in the space between his legs. He stared at her body in awe and wonder, the taut muscles of her smooth abdomen pushing and contracting as she positioned herself above him, forcing himself not to stare at her breasts and seem like a perv. She noticed him keeping his eyes concentrated on anything but her chest, and chuckled. "It's okay, Jack, you can look," she said soothingly, taking his hand in one of hers and lifting it up to her body. His eyes widened when he realized what she was doing. "It's okay," she assured him, and placed his hand upon her right breast.

He gasped when his skin came in contact with it, surprised at its warmth, and watched as little goosebumps prickled around her skin. She gasped quietly at his cold touch, but didn't move. They laid there for a while, motionless as statues. Finally, Jack propped himself back up on his elbow and sat upright, not taking his hand off of her chest. He hesitated, then glanced at Tooth, silently asking for permission. She nodded. He took a deep breath, then gave it a gentle squeeze. She closed her eyes, a low hiss escaping from in between her lips. Encouraged by her reaction, he slid his hand around the breast before cupping it from underneath, marveling at the tender feel of it, and ran his thumb along her nipple. He was rewarded with a small gasp, then a low groan.

Gaining confidence, he leaned forward until his nose was almost touching her chest. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. The smell of rain and the soft scent of- he didn't know how else to describe it- feathers greeted him. _Now let's see what it _tastes _like, _he thought deviously. His tongue slipped from between his lips and flicked boldly at her breasts, just below the nipple. Tooth groaned, her hand suddenly flying to the back of his head. He repeated the action, once, twice, all of them making her groan and squirm, before finally developing the anxious bud in his mouth, and sucked.

_Huh. Honeydew,_ he thought with a surprise. He didn't know what he had been expecting her to taste like, but honeydew probably wouldn't have been on the list. Nevertheless, it was a pleasant flavor on her skin, and he nursed the taste on his tongue. _  
_

Tooth arched her back as she cried out, her fingers digging into his scalp. He suckled gently, his tongue snaking around the teat, making sure not to even brush against it. "Jack," she gasped, clutching at his hair. He cupped her other breast, teasing the other nipple between his thumb and forefinger. "Jack, please!" He smirked, then swirled his cool tongue around and across it. She gasped again, though this time _much _louder, her fingers tightening on his curls. He switched to the neglected nipple, suckling and stroking it with his tongue. The groans and gasps that escaped from her mouth was pure music, making his blood burn hotter than fire and rush straight down his groin.

Jack reached up and kissed the soft flesh of her skin, starting at her collarbone, making his way slowly- ever so tantalizingly- up her neck, then stopped at the crevice where her neck and jaw line met, and began to suck softly on the skin there. Tooth bit her lip, trying not to moan, her hands cupping the back of his neck, pulling him closer to her. As their bare bodies brushed against each other, skin sliding against skin, Jack felt each patch of skin light up like the Fourth of July setting his skin ablaze. The heat...he had never felt so hot in years. Never felt that trickle of warmth down his back and spread into the rest of his body. Never felt his skin feel as hot as the sun, as tight as a stretched out set of jeans. Never felt that _overwhelming _urge to simply let the primitive instincts that mankind had been attempting to keep hidden for ages simply _release_. The thought sent shivers down his back. And he _liked _it.

His hands slid down from her breasts up to her headdress, running his fingers through the soft feathers, then down her waist, and held her by the hips as he continued to leave a trail of cool, open-mouthed kisses up her neck, alongside her jaw, pecking at both of her cheeks before claiming her mouth. His tongue ran across her lips once, twice before she finally parted her lips and teeth, allowing him to delve into her mouth. Their lips clashed together hungrily, often leaving trails of saliva from their mouths when they grabbed quick refills of air. Each kiss was hurried and messy, but neither had the time or patience to make proper kisses.

He slid his mouth away from her own and traced her jugular tauntingly with his tongue, before reaching back up and kissing her in the spot behind her ear. "You're so beautiful," he murmured, rubbing the side of his head subtly against her cheek. "So beautiful," he breathed, his breathe ghosting her skin, making her shiver. He ran his thumb in the curve beneath her eye, kissing her cheek gently.

Tooth closed her eyes, trying to believe what he said. It had been so long, so long since someone had called her beautiful. "Even with the feathers?" she whispered, voicing one of her deepest fears.

To her surprise, he chuckled. It was light and full of an airy carefree. As if he found it ridiculous that she would ask that question. He leaned back, his knees bent underneath him, as he cupped her face between cool fingers. He met her eyes for a split second, then reached down, touching his lips to her forehead, right between her eyebrows. Instinctively, she laid her fingertips against his chest, closing her eyes. For a while, they didn't move. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she wondered if he had forgotten that she had asked him a question. Just then, he tilted his head, their foreheads pressing against each other, so that he could look her in the eye. Her breath caught when she saw flecks of brown in the blue irises, and thought how lovely the mixture looked.

"I love you," he breathed. "I love you no matter what. And that means that I accept- no, I _love _each and every part of you, no matter what you look like. Even if you sprout a beak and grow claws, I will love you till the end of time." He leaned forward and pressed a chaste kiss against her lips before continuing. "So to answer your question, yes, you are beautiful with your feathers. And you're just as beautiful without them. But-"

"But what?" she interrupted, her fear returning.

He smirked. "I just can't help but prefer you with them." Jack reached down and kissed her passionately on her gaping mouth. It took a while for her to respond, but finally she began to kiss back, at first hesitantly, then powerfully, her arms going around his neck. He slid his hands down to her hips, and rubbed the small of her back comfortingly. These kisses were nothing like the ones they had been made before, so rushed and hurried. Each kiss was a lazy drag across each other's lips, feeling every crevice and dip on their love's mouth. Silent messages were passed through each gentle touch-_I love you-,_ each soft press of the lips- _I want you-, _each fondle of the tongue- _I need you_.

Jack finally broke away, tracing kisses across the side of her face. "How am I doing?" he whispered in her ear, caressing her sides lovingly.

"Wonderful," she gasped. "You-You _have _done this before, haven't you?" she accused as he munched on the nape of her neck.

"Nope. Only in books. You're my first," he assured her as he leaned back, and gave her a quick kiss on the forehead. "Now, _you, _on the other hand..."

Her cheeks tinged pink, and she tried to brush it off with a roll of her eyes. "Well, I couldn't wait for you for almost eight millenniums. And besides, if I stayed a lonely old virgin like you did-" He growled warningly. She ignored him and continued, "how would I know how to make you feel _this?_" As she spoke, her hands were, unknown to him, undoing his fly. When she uttered the last word, her hand slid down into the crack and cupped the part where his genitals were. He gasped at the touch, his muscles instantly tensing. When he looked at her, though, she was frowning.

"What's wrong?" he asked, suddenly anxious that she had found him to be too small.

"It's just- shouldn't you be hard by now?"

He blinked at her. "I beg your pardon?"

"Well, you should have gotten an erection by now," she explained, leaning back on her calves, furrowing her nonexistent eyebrows at his crotch.

"Wait, slow down- an _erection?_" It was like she was speaking a foreign language.

"Yeah, you know, when your thing get's long and straight like, uh, like..." she looked around for an example, then reached over to the dresser behind her and grabbed one of the lamps shaped like miniature old-fashioned streetlight. "Like this." He stared. "You've honestly never had an erection before?" she said in amazement.

He shrugged, shaking his head 'no'. To be truthful, he wasn't even sure if he got them when he was a human. Back then, all he had cared about was making sure that Emma was safe, that his family was well and happy. Sex had never been on his interests lists. And when he became Jack Frost, he had to relearn it, after learning how to read(which he finally began to try after a century, and took five years to finish). And then the novels he had read had only barely mentioned it, seeing as most of them were from the perspective of women, and didn't go into detail about it. Now that he thought about it, they rarely when into physical detail about anything.

"Maybe because winter spirits don't get aroused easily," he suggested. "I mean, nothing grows or reproduces during the winter. Why should we mimic it?"

"Well, even if that is the answer, this complicates things a bit," she sighed, setting the lamp down on the dresser. "But let's see what we can do." Without giving a single warning, she yanked off his pants, throwing them on to the floor, and gripped his penis firmly. Stars flashed before his eyes the warmth developed his member, squeezing it tightly. He didn't even realize he was crying out until he heard it die in his throat.

"Now that wasn't so hard," Tooth said happily, releasing him. "Wow, you're a big boy, aren't you?" He glanced down, then stiffened in shock to see his cock longer and harder than he thought possible, almost as thick as his wrist, curving a little bit at the end. Probably nine inches, nine-and-a-half at the most. The head was brushing gently against the top of his abdomen, and a little clear liquid was gathering in the slit. _Pre-cum, _he thought faintly. Slightly curious, he poked at the tip of it hesitantly with his index finger.

Tooth giggled. He glared up at her, and she stared back without any bashfulness. "Oh, it's funny, now? Well guess what?" He grabbed her by the waist and- as gently as he could- pinned her down beneath him, his hands curling around her wrists. He leaned down and breathed in her ear, "Now it's your turn." His cold air danced across the side of her face, making her shiver beneath him. He rubbed his body seductively against hers, making her moan. His newly-freed cock was tickling against her skin, sending cold shivers up her spine.

Jack leaned back and flashed her a mischievous look. "Jack, what are you-?" His fingers suddenly began to dance along her sides as he tickled her, making her cut off with a shriek, then, inevitably, began to laugh. "Jack! Jack! Ngh! What are you-? Stop! Jack, this is-ah!" she shrieked, trying squirm, her way out of his hands, but his body weight- no matter how skinny he was- pinned her down firmly beneath him. So wrapped up in the tickling sensations that she didn't notice him going lower, lower, until she felt cold air on her clitoris. _What the-?_

She immediately lifted her head and propped herself up on her elbows to see Jack looking at her hesitantly, his lips just a few inches away from her vagina. "Jack, what are you doing?"

"Nothing."

"That doesn't look like nothing."

"It's just something I wanta try. Please?" His face scrunched up adorably, his lower lip put out and his eyes wide. Inwardly, she groaned. He always knew how to get his way.

"What are you trying to do, exactly?" she asked warily.

"Just trying to give you a kiss." To demonstrate, he leaned forward and kissed her on the folds of her womanhood.

She shrieked, falling back against the bed, her leg involuntarily kicking out. "Jack!"

"Are you okay?" he asked worriedly, afraid that he had hurt her.

"Yeah," she panted. "I-I think so. Could you, uh, maybe-?"

He grinned, and leaned back down. Trying to make sure she was comfortable, he placed little kisses on the inner part of her thighs, kneading the spots with his hands above him. She sighed appreciatively above him, laying a hand on the top of his head. When he reached his destination, he closed his eyes and drew his lips across her labia. _Finally! _Now _the books come in handy, _he thought, still licking that part of her as she cried out, her legs jerking beside his head.

_Wow, she's wet, _he thought languidly as he flicked his tongue at her insides with a faster pace. It wasn't that she hadn't been wet before, but now she was practically leaking. He accidentally got a drop on his tongue, and almost pulled back when he caught the flavor of it. He washed the taste in his mouth, then smacked his lips, and lapped eagerly at her juices, savoring the taste. _Mmm, honeydew__._ He licked his lips hungrily, before diving into her snatch, his lips clamping down on her labia, and sucked hard, just as he did with her breasts. Tooth moaned, her hips bucking the air; the covers scrunched up as she dug her fingers into the comforter. Not taking his mouth off of her, he grabbed her by the waist, and forced her back on to the bed, hoping not to get an eyeful of pelvis.

Despite him holding her down, she was still somehow managing to roll her hips against his face, moaning and whining for him. "_Placet, Jack!_ _Placet!_" she cried, fluent Latin pouring out of her moth."_Tollite me! Iam iustus tollite mihi!_" Jack had no idea what she was saying, but he had a vague idea. He parted her flaps with his tongue, and glided it over her sensitive nub, and felt as her body shuddered and practically melt in his hands. He suddenly forgot about how well she tasted, more concentrated on making her feel this way. Making her feel this pleasure that he was giving her. _It's the least I can do after what happened in December, _he thought, though, if he was truly honest with himself, he just liked the idea of seeing her squirm because of him.

As he pleasured her, he explored her. Felt the ridges alongside her labia, caressed the slick spot of her opening. He tried to find angles that he would give her more of this apparently wonderful feeling that she was getting, trying fast at one moment, then slow at the next. He gently nibbled at her lips, glancing up at her to see if he was doing okay. _Okay, we got body shaking, we got panting, and we got moaning, _he thought. Just then, her legs wrapped around his head, her fingers clutching desperately at his hair as she grinded against his face. _Yep, I'm doing fine._ Holding his breath, he attacked her clit, nibbling and kissing it, making sure every lick made her yell for more. Yell for _him._

Tooth suddenly cried out, louder than all the other times, her legs on either side of his head squeezing him tightly. Jack was surprised by the squirt of fluids that flew out of her opening, but lapped them up, catching each precious drop before they fell on to the floor. By the time she had finished orgasming, her legs had fallen from the sides of his head, her body flopping bonelessly on to the bed. Her chest was heaving with every breath.

Jack released his grip on her hips and slid himself up her body, his eyes narrowed worriedly. "You okay?" he whispered, after kissing her gently on her nose.

She nodded. "That...that was pretty new for me. Are-Are you ready?"

Jack felt tingles shoot up his spine. He nodded hesitantly. "I think so."

Tooth put a hand to his cheek and smiled. "Don't worry."

"I'm not," he assured her, putting his own hand over hers. "I have you." And with that, he leaned down, his arms sliding underneath her back as he pulled her close to him, and positioned his hips just below hers. He held in a gasp when the tip of his leaking cock brushed against her wet slit. Whoa, that felt good. _Imagine what it feels like all the way, _he thought excitedly. His manhood twitch in excitement. Just when he was preparing to slide himself into her, a thought occurred to him. He removed his arms from underneath her and sat upright, making her groan, though this time in irritation. "Are we gonna finish this inside or outside?" he demanded.

"You want kids, don't you?"

"Okay, just making sure. Sheesh," he muttered, reaching back down and wrapping his arms around her. He made sure to keep his penis from brushing against her womanhood again. He wanted to save that feeling for when he was finally entering. Though now, as he thought about it, how would he _fit? _Remembering the smallness of her opening, how was he going to be able to slide into her without injuring her?

Tooth must have noticed his hesitant behavior, because she asked, "Jack, what's wrong?"

He shook his head. "I don't want to hurt you."

She smiled at him, flattered by his concern for her, and raised a hand to cup his cheek. "Don't worry, Jack. You won't be hurting me," she assured him.

"But if I do, will you tell me?"

"Jack, you won't." Tooth reached up and gave him a quick peck on the lips before laying back down. "Just let me feel you inside of me. Please."

He nodded. Without thinking, before he could back out, he pulled his hips back and thrust into her in a single, fluid motion. He slid past her wet lips and buried himself all the way to the hilt in her. He almost screamed when he felt the overwhelming tightness of her insides, clenching down on his cock. Tooth moaned in pleasure, throwing her head back against the pillows as her fingers dug into his shoulders. He bit his lip as he fought the urge to cry out, his own fingers digging into the palms of his hands.

"Jack?"

"Hmm?" His voice was strained.

"You okay?"

"I-I'm fine. Just...just give me a moment." Trying to hold down the feeling of explosion in his lower region, he slid his hands down the length of her body, trying to distract himself from the blazing heat enveloping his cock, threatening to plunge him into the depths of that primitive craving that he had been holding in for what had seemed like years. He gripped her hips tightly, then relaxed his fingers and flexed them once, attempting to get a hold on his urge. When he finally trusted himself, he began to move his hips slowly, rolling them against her pelvis. Tooth groaned, arching her back, her chest rising and falling with each breath. Gaining confidence, he leaned down so that his lips brushed against the ridge of her ear. "I'm just gonna assume that I'm doing this right," he whispered in her ear.

"Ass," she gasped.

He smirked, and leaned back, still gripping her waist tightly. He positioned his hips as he remembers something else from the books. Then, without giving warning, he snapped his hips into her roughly. She bucked upwards, crying out, and fell back against the pillows. _Found it, _he thought, grinning.

Jack began to thrust into her, making sure that he brushed against that spot every single time. In no time, Tooth was writhing and screaming in pleasure underneath him, mewling his name as she clawed at his back. Her nails dug into his skin, leaving long, red scratches. They would probably bleed if she continued raking his back like that, but he didn't care. The pain was pure pleasure adding on to the overwhelming tightness of her heated core. The whole thing was simply wonderful. It was enthralling. It was _amazing._

"Jack! Jack!" she cried from underneath him, pressing her face into her chest.

"Oh great snowflakes, you feel so good," he groaned, his hands curling around her arms so that he was practically pinning her down. In retaliation, she reached up and bit into his shoulder savagely. "Ahhh! Tooth!" There was pain where she had bitten him, but it felt _good, _too.

He buried his face in her breasts, licking the tender valley that ran between the two mountains. She gasped, then groaned, arching her back as she yanked at the feathers on her forearms, desperate to let the feeling out. His hands were spread across her back, seeming to take up the whole length of her torso with his huge palms. She could feel the cold leaking out of his palms and seep into her feathers and into her skin.

"F-F-Fuck! Tooth!" He suddenly grabbed her by the top part of her thighs and raised her above the bed. She clutched at his back, grabbing his shoulders to keep from falling down. He gripped her tightly, and began to thrust into her with surprising speed and force, slamming her down into his thrusts mercilessly. She made a gurgling sound as she desperately clutched at his back, the screams and moans of pleasure and slight surprise unformed and not properly thought-out yet. He continued to shout her name in her ear, deafening her and sending shivers down her back at the same time.

"Jack, please," she groaned, arching back even further in his arms.

"I-I feel like I'm about to explode!" he gasped, his fingers digging into her hips as he slammed himself into her, his pace increasing rapidly. He wasn't kidding. The burning sensation in his nether regions was to the point where he wondered if his balls were gonna burst. He pulled her close to him, smashing any space between them into nonexistence, their gasping breaths filling the air.

It was hot. It was too hot. The heat seemed to seer his skin, making him imagine flames licking at his arms and legs.

And he loved it.

He loved every second of the painful heat that radiated from both of their bodies, the feeling flaring up with every lift of the hips and spiked whenever he was able to erect a cry from her sweet lips. He moved without thinking, and pushed Tooth back on to the bed without changing pace, his hands curling around her arms tightly, though not to the point where it would hurt.

She let out a long, torturous moan, throwing her head back. He immediately reached up and pulled her head back down, making sure that they were eye-to-eye. "I want to see you," he gasped. "I want to see your face- your eyes, when you-" He broke off with a strangled scream, as Tooth raked her needle-sharp nails down his back, though he didn't stop moving inside her. He threw his head back, gasping, his eyes squeezed shut. Tooth watched pain and pleasure flash across his sweaty face at the same time, his expressions adorable and, at the same time, so incredibly arousing. When he looked up at her, she flashed him a mischievous grin, hoping it would send him into a frenzy. Instead, he simply rolled his eyes and bent his head down to hers. "You're such a tease," he breathed in her ear as he slid out of her.

She gasped at the empty sensation, then began to squirm underneath him, trying to slide him back into her. "Ah ah ah. You need to be patient," he whispered, then thrust into her. Hard. She cried out, her arms flying around his back, ready for him to pound into her. But instead, he slid all the way out again.

"Jack!" she cried in frustration.

"Jack, what?" he whispered, his voice low and husky.

"Jack, please. _Please_, Jack," she begged.

He grinned, then reached down and placed his lips over hers. Without pulling back, he began to pound into her mercilessly, and drank in every single one of her screams as he pleasured the two of them. She clawed at his back, the marks surely leaving blood, but he didn't care. Let her mark him. He was hers, after all. The burning in his loins suddenly became an inferno; he pulled away from Tooth, panting heavily as he struggled to bring them both to completion. It took him a while to realize that he was babbling sweet nothings to her, little declarations of love, promises of devotion and affection. The hot flood of pleasure had broken down his walls, and he was ready to burst. He was so close, so close-

Tooth suddenly bucked up, wrapping her legs around his waist and pulling him deep into her as she screamed his name. "Jack!" Her face was a sweaty mixture of pleasure and the look of someone who had achieved nirvana while listening Nirvana. He was about to ask what was wrong with her when he felt her insides suddenly squeezing around his cock, her sweet juices flooding around him.

His reaction was instantaneous; he buried his face into her chest as he screamed with her. He was exploding, he was flying, he was soaring past the Milky Way and into the stars. Sweet, sweet bliss coursed through his veins, setting every nerve on fire. He twisted his fingers into the sheets of the bed as he arched his back, still yelling out his thrilling senses, The feeling sent him down into the deepest parts of the ocean, the pressure pressing down on him. All he could feel was Tooth's nails digging into his back, her tight insides, her soft skin. Her and nothing else.

There _was _nothing else.

When the feeling finally subsided, he found himself atop of a panting Tooth, whose legs had slid from around his waist, her hands folded on top of his head, her fingers twisting into his hair. They felt _wonderful_ as they slid across his scalp. He sighed as he closed his eyes. He wanted to just lie there and rest on top of her forever. He struggled to think through the hazy cloud in his mind, and realized that he was probably squishing her. He grunted as he rolled off of her, his arms and legs suddenly feeling weighed down, as if he had flown around the world, _twice_.

Jack glanced over at Tooth, who was looking back at him. "So?" she asked. "What'd you think?"

He grinned as he reached over and pulled her to him, and kissed her nose. "I _think_," he said, before kissing her lips, "I love you."

* * *

"Are you ever gonna tell me who she is?" Tooth asked, picking up the sketch, which had fallen to the floor during their love-making. Jack, who was holding her in his arms, shifted himself over her so that he could see what she was talking about. She lifted it up for him to see. He didn't say anything, just slid one of his arms from underneath her, reached over and silently took it from her. She felt him move behind her, and tilted her head back to see him carefully laying the sketch on the dresser.

"I'll tell you one day," he promised, sliding his arm back under her and pulling her to his chest, before laying a chaste kiss on her forehead. She sighed in content when she felt his cool marble body against the back of her folded wings and feathers, and tilted her head up to meet his kiss. "I will. But now just isn't the best time."

"Why?" she asked, despite herself.

"To protect her."

"And how long will that be?"

"A hundred years or so."

Tooth shook her head, laughing. She knew he was only kidding, and would probably in a year or two. But for now...She rolled over into him, and snuggled into his soft, cool skin. He chuckled, and readjusted his hold on her so that his arms wrapped around her back weren't accidentally crushing her delicate wings. She reached up and kissed the spot below his chin, laying her fingertips on the hard muscle of his chest. Jack rested his chin on top of her head, and for a long while they just laid there, him stroking the soft feathers atop of her head, her breathing in his crisp, icy scent. They didn't say anything. There was simply no need to. Everything that they had needed to say had already been said. What they could do now was just embrace each other and lay in each other's arms and just enjoy the silence.

_Words like violence break the silence._

_What the hell?_

_Come crashing in, into my little world._

Jack sat up abruptly, frowning mightily. Tooth glanced up, a faint worried look on her face. "Jack?"

_Painful to me, pierce right through me._

"Did you hear that?" he demanded.

_Don't you understand-_

"Hear what?" Tooth asked, propping herself up on her elbow.

_Oh, my little girl?_

"That!" he exclaimed, throwing the covers off and leaping out of bed. A slightly deep, feminine voice rang through his head as they sang the next lines.

_All I ever wanted- _

"Jack, what's going on?" Tooth sat upright.

_All I ever needed-_

Jack put a hand to his forehead, breathing heavily. "Great, now I'm hearing things!" he exclaimed.

_Is here, in my arm_s.

"What do you hear?"

_Words are very-_

"Singing."

_Unnecessary_.

"Singing?" She sounded as if she was trying hard not to laugh.

_They can only do harm..._

"Yes, singing!" he said angrily, whirling around to face her. "I hear someone singing _Enjoy the Silence _by Depeche Mode, except it's not Depeche Mode, it's a girl singing and-" He stopped abruptly. _A girl singing. _Could it...could it really be...? No, no it couldn't be. _Or could it? _

Tooth didn't notice his sudden cut off. "Look, maybe you're just hallucinating a bit. You're probably still upset about missing the Winter Concert, and you're imagining what it would be like if we had gone," she suggested, swinging her legs of off the edge of the bed.

That conclusion made no sense to him, but he decided not to say anything. In fact, he hadn't thought about the Winter Concert in almost a month. He recalled his extreme nervousness and anxiety the weeks following up to it. Thinking back on it now, all of his worries seemed silly and inconvenient compared to what he had been through through the past month. But that didn't mean that they hadn't been real. The fear of getting up on stage and unable to hit that single note in the song still managed to spike a prickle of fear and embarrassment through him.

_Hmm..._

That voice was not his. He knew that in an instant. He tenderly reached out to the voice in his head. _Is...is that you?_

Just as quickly as it had come, the presence that he didn't even notice enter his mind vanished, leaving him even more confused. He shook his head, and sat back next to Tooth. She watched him with a concerned look on his face. "Look, Jack, maybe you should lay down for a while. Take a nap," she suggested, placing her small hand on his shoulder.

"Yeah, maybe." He sighed and laid down sideways on to the bed, curling his knees up to his chest. Tooth pulled up the quilt and laid it on top of him. He lifted his head up and rested it on her lap. She chuckled, laying her hand on his head, running her fingers lovingly through his hair.

There was a sudden creak outside of the door. Jack and Tooth's head shot up at the sound, both fearing the same thing. Instead of the leering figure of Pitch Black, though, at the doorway was a small, tabby-calico cat, with round emerald eyes, staring at them intently.

"How did the cat get in here?" Jack whispered.

"I don't know," Tooth breathed. After a pause, she added, "I don't like cats."

Jack wasn't particularly found of cats either, but there was something intriguing in the way that it stared at them. Not quite threateningly, or scornfully, as most cats did when they looked at people. It was looking at them curiously, its heart-shaped face tilted to the side questioningly. Jack felt himself relax as he and the cat gazed at each other, the green eyes almost comforting. _I wonder..._

Moving as slowly and silently as possible, he pushed the covers off of his body, and slid his feet over the edge of bed as he lifted his torso up from Tooth's lap. "Jack-" Tooth started, but he put up a finger to silence her. He slid out of the bed and began to tip-toe towards the cat.

She pricked her ears eagerly, looking at him with an intense gaze as he knelt down in front of her. He hesitantly extended his arm, his palm facing the floor. With a cheerful mew, she got to her paws and padded over, and, before he could move away, she jumped on to her hind-legs and rubbed her head along the underside of his hand, purring. He blinked in surprise as she repeated the motion, getting back on to two legs whenever she fell.

"I've never seen a cat do that," Tooth said in surprise.

"Me, neither," he agreed. "But I guess there is a such thing as social cats, huh?" To the cat, he asked, "So where'd you come from, little guy?" As he spoke, he lowered his hand and rubbed his hand along her spine as he gently pet her.

She mewed in reply, her luminous blue eyes brimming with excitement-

_Blue? _He frowned. He could have sworn that she had green eyes and that she was a full tabby-calico cat, not half white from the tip of her tail to the middle of her back-

He yanked his hand back with a gasp as, like a ripple on the water, white crept along the cat's body until it tinged the tips of her ears. The white stretched down to the very roots of the hairs, until there was no more left of the brown and black or orange. Her blue eyes glowed as she looked up at him, that same curious, intense gaze. Then, without a warning, her fur shone for a split second, then turned back to its original tabby-calico coat.

Jack stared in shock, his head swimming. _What had just happened?_

"Jack?" Tooth's voice jolted him out of his stupor. "Jack, what was that?"

It took a moment for him to answer her question. "I think," he said slowly, "that we still have a long road ahead of us."

The cat mewed happily, nodding her head.

* * *

*Sneak Peak Commence*

"You know that this is all your fault, right?" Simone's voice sounded louder than usual in the empty dungeon.

Jack sighed as he looked over at her, shackled to the wall in the same manner that he was: arms pinned above head, legs slightly spread, shoulder-length apart. She looked back at him expectantly, her eyes flashing. "Do you really think this is necessary?" he said tiredly.

"Well since you're the one who got us locked up in here in the first place, I just want to make sure that, before we die, this was your fault." Her voice was calm, strong, confident even- as if they weren't chained to the wall in one of Pitch's dungeons and probably would be subjected to torture in the next couple hours.

"Look, _I _wasn't the one who wanted to go upstairs and grab the violins-"

"But if you had gotten them before we had gotten downstairs, like I had _asked_," she snapped, her eyes flashing, "then we wouldn't even have been in this mess!"

"I don't even see why we needed the violins! I mean, there's a bunch at your house!" he exclaimed. "Why the heck would we need more?!"

"ENOUGH!" Pitch's yell made the dust on the ceiling fall. The two fell silent as he strode into the room. He groaned as he stood in front of them, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I had to listen to you two bicker all the way, like little _schoolchildren._ If I have to hear another word out EITHER one of you-"

It was at that precise moment that Simone must have decided to start her flood of sneezing. Pitch stared at her incredulously as she sneezed over and over again. "Sorry," she gasped. "Please, continue."

He glared at her. "Perhaps, for your cheek, I should start with you."

Jack's heart stopped. He had been in Simone's mind. He knew all of the weak points, that, despite her strong facade, it was fragile and knew that if Pitch was going to reuse any of the tactics that he had used on her, her mind would snap- _again_. "Wait, no!" he shouted without thinking.

They both turned to look at him. Simone's face was expressionless, though he could sense the feelings of mild confusion beneath her well-painted mask; Pitch's, on the other hand, was an expression of pure glee. "Oh, dearest Jack, you wouldn't mind if I played with your toy, too?" he cooed as he stepped towards her.

"No, stop! Don't touch her!" He strained against the chains. "Do whatever you want to me! Don't-!"

"Sorry, Jack!" he said cheerfully as he closed his hand around her neck. Her eyes narrowed at him, but she didn't say anything. "Hmm, let's see...one of your worst fears...is heights." He tilted his head at her as black tendrils began to twine around him. "Am I right?"

She shrugged. "You're not wrong."

Jack couldn't feel any fear from her, not even worry or nervousness; if anything, there was a weird sense of anticipation, an almost eagerness. _What are you planning? _he wondered.

_You'll see._

Jack watched on helplessly as the fear crept up on to her neck, then began to sink into her ears and through her nostrils. She flinched, but only from the cold touch. "Now, you are...on a cliff, one hundred stories high-" Pitch began.

"Above a battlefield," she interrupted.

He blinked in surprise. "Er-"

"I see a friend down there. He's being attacked. He needs my help."

"Um, yeah. Sure, why not."

"Determination fills me-" she continues.

"No, wait, _fear _fills you," Pitch interrupted.

"No, determination."

"Fear!"

"Determination!"

Pitch turned to look at Jack incredulously. "Is she always like this?"

Jack shrugged. "Worse."

* * *

And there is your first glance at my new OC. And _I bid thee farewell. Until next time! :D_


End file.
